Oudomxay children given new hope with their sight restored

Two children with cataracts, three-year-old Salid and seven-year-old Chansouk, now have a brighter future after they had their sight restored at Oudomxay Eye Hospital.
The girl and boy were treated thanks to funding from the Australian Government’s Australian NGO Cooperation Programme through the Fred Hollows Foundation in Laos.

Salid and Chansouk are ready to open their eyes after surgery.

The surgery was performed on February 3 by two women doctors, Senglar Laosern, who carried out the procedure on Salid, and Pathoumphone Ketdomly, who removed the cataract from Chansouk’s eye. Both doctors received support from international eye health organisation, The Fred Hollows Foundation.
The children opened their eyes the day after the surgery, in a special event attended by Deputy Director of the Oudomxay provincial Health Department, Dr Sounthone Louangxaysy.
The Foundation’s Lao PDR Country Manager Ms Souphonesa Xaypannha and other officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Ophthalmology Centre, and the Australian Embassy witnessed the patch-off ceremony.
Head of the Eye Unit in Oudomxay province, Dr Phetsamone Indara said Salid was born with cataracts in both eyes, a condition called congenital cataract.
In this case, it is very important to remove the cataracts as early as possible to avoid complications. If the surgery is performed when the child is too old, the brain is not able to process visual information correctly.
Chansouk was about two when an accident involving her father’s fishing equipment caused trauma to her right eye. Unfortunately, the impact caused cataracts to form, impairing her vision as she grew older.
The two children were at risk of permanent blindness if not treated. 1-2 percent of 1,000 children have cataracts, which can be a challenge to their future development.
“If we do not pay attention to the condition of these children, they will develop a severe visual impairment and become blind, causing great distress and becoming a burden on their family, who will have to care for them for the rest of their life,” Dr Phetsamone said.
Dr Senglar is currently working in Oudomxay province and Dr Pathoumphone is in Xayaboury province.
Both doctors completed a four-year ophthalmology course in Laos under the Fred Hollows Foundation and gained skills and experience abroad. There are only a handful of female ophthalmologists throughout the country.
Dr Pathoumphone said “From 2016 to 2020, the Foundation has supported my education and enabled me to specialise in ophthalmology. I received quality training at one of Thailand’s top universities. I am thankful for that opportunity, and I’m now repaying it by serving the people of Laos.”
“Luckily, the surgery went well today and I’m so happy that Chansouk can see properly again.”
 “My friends won’t say I have a squint anymore,” Chansouk told her mother when she looked at her eye in the mirror after surgery.
Chansouk’s mother Mrs Nam told Vientiane Times she was always worried that her daughter would lose her sight because it had got worse over the past three years and she didn’t have the money to pay for treatment.
Ms Souphonesa said strengthening the eye health workforce is one of the Foundation’s top priorities.
“Cataracts can be treated, but many people remain blind because we do not have enough eye doctors and nurses. To address this, the Foundation has been providing training and scholarships for many years now,” she said.
The risk of blindness is still high in Laos, especially among elderly people in rural areas, because they cannot access healthcare and some people don’t bother to seek help when cataracts start to develop.
The Fred Hollows Foundation is an international eye health organisation which was founded in Australia and now operates in more than 25 countries including Laos.
This year, it celebrates its 30th anniversary, having restored sight to more than 2.5 million people globally.
Its work is made possible because of the generous donations of the Australian public, and the ongoing support of the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Programme.

By Patithin Phetmeuangphuan
(Latest Update February 18, 2022)