A volunteer ophthalmologist aboard a hospital ship has successfully treated a seven-year-old boy from Waterloo, Sierra Leone, with congenital cataracts . The hospital ship, run by an international charity, provides surgical care and education to developing countries, especially African countries. The boy had bilateral cataracts from birth, which severely affected his vision. As a result, he struggled to walk around, read, and write. He tripped over objects frequently and needed to hold someone’s hand at school while walking.
Babies born with congenital cataracts are generally treated with surgery at six weeks of age. However, when the boy’s mother sought medical care, a local hospital informed her that her son was too young to undergo surgery. As the boy’s vision continued to deteriorate, his mother learned about a hospital ship that offered free surgical treatment. The ophthalmologist…
