Den's Story

NOBODY SHOULD LOSE THEIR INDEPENDENCE TO BLINDNESS

PEOPLE LIKE DEN ARE LIVING IN DARKNESS. WE MUST ACT NOW.

In her modest house in Central Vietnam’s Quang Nam province, 82-year-old Tran Thi Den has almost everything she needs to live a healthy independent life – until her world became dark because of cataract.

Den’s blurry vision slowly started to chip away at her independence. She coped as best as she could until she fell in her own home. She started using a walking stick but struggled to do basic tasks like plug in electrical appliances and cook in her dark, smoky kitchen. Her family knew it was no longer safe for her to live on her own.

After living alone for 45 years, blindness threatened to take Den’s independence.

Luckily, one of Den's neighbours told her about a community eye screening near her home – organised by The Fred Hollows Foundation, Quang Nam Eye Hospital and the Association of Older People. The screening is vital for the many older people who cannot afford treatment, are unaware it is available or feel they are too old to have their vision improved.

Den was diagnosed with cataract in both eyes and scheduled for surgery the next day at Quang Nam Eye Hospital.

Thanks to caring people like you, Den got the help she needs. She doesn't have to live in darkness anymore. 

DEN’S EYES HAVE SEEN SO MUCH. SHE’S NOT READY TO GIVE UP HER SIGHT NOW.

Den’s eyes have seen decades of change. She survived two wars and raised children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. But Den was still nervous about the surgery. She worried that her eyeballs would be removed during the operation.   

Despite her fears, Den put her trust in the surgeon, hoping her sight could be restored. The patch was removed the following day and Den was overjoyed. Your caring support made it all possible. 

Thanks to people like you, Den no longer lives in darkness. But Den is just one of 800 million older people in the world living with avoidable vision impairment.  

By taking action today to help end avoidable blindness, we can ensure people like Den get the help they need.