Duch Thim from Cambodia tells us what it is like to see again after living with blindness.

Sixty-year-old Thim is one of many Cambodians whose sight has been restored, because of The Foundation’s work through the Australian Government’s Avoidable Blindness Initiative.

Thirteen years ago, Thim was an army major, leading a squadron of soldiers. He lost his right leg when he stepped on a landmine while fighting the Khmer Rouge.

In 2001, Thim retired from the army and started a life as a rice farmer with his wife and son. But he struggled to make a living because of his physical disability.

As the years went by, things went downhill, especially after Thim developed cataracts in both eyes.

His sight gradually got worse and worse. Having only one leg made life difficult; blindness caused double difficulties. He could not work independently. His son had moved away. So the rice farming became his wife’s responsibility. Thim couldn’t even do simple tasks like picking fruit for his granddaughter. He couldn’t recognise his cows and people walking in front of him.

Thim said: “Then not long ago, an eye screening was conducted in my village. I went to have my eyes examined, and a nurse told me I had cataracts in both eyes, which could be treated.

“At first, I was afraid of having surgery on my eyes. On second thought, I decided to give it a try, or I surely would go blind completely, and that would cause great burdens to my wife. I went to the Kampong Chhnang Eye Unit with the other villagers. We were given free transportation. After surgery on my right eye, I was so surprised - the moment the eye patch was taken off was the moment I became a young man again,” says Thim.

“Having one eye restored helped me see the world clearly again. I got back to work on the rice farm. I could collect around 1,600 kilograms of rice a year from the rice farm (worth approximately $800), to help make ends meet.

“I finally got the other eye restored. Now I expect to make higher outputs of rice, worth up to $1,000 a year, as my both eyes can see clear.

“I was lucky I received a free surgery and the eye care workers took good care of me, as well as the other villagers. Now as you can see, I have clear and healthy eyes.

“I feel relieved and cheerful, as I was helped to be free from one of my disabilities – blindness. I am grateful to Australians and all eye staff for helping me to see again. Without this support I would not be able to work as I do today.”

Partners in The Vision 2020 Australia Global Consortium are: The Fred Hollows Foundation, CBM Australia, ICEE, The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, Foresight Australia, Royal Institute of Death and Blind Children, Vision Australia and the Centre for Eye Research Australia.  

The objective of the Australian Government's aid program, delivered by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), is to assist developing countries to reduce poverty and achieve sustainable development, in line with Australia's national interest.