Awel Atak Geng, a 70-year-old woman who has been blind for over 10 years - Courtesy

A 70-year-old woman is among the 1,000 persons in Aweil Northern Bahr el Ghazal state whose eyes were opened this week.

Awel Atak Geng had been blind for over 10 years until Tuesday when a team of eye specialists corrected her sights and was able to see again.

Geng said she was afraid that the doctors will damage her eyes.

“I was so afraid to be operated on because I thought the doctors were going to destroy my eyes. I refused and went out of the theatre,” Geng said.

“Outside the other patients convinced me including the daughter of my brother who brought me to the eye campaign.”

She said her niece gave her tough conditions and forced her to go back to the theatre.

“My left eye was operated and now I am so happy to see it again, after 10 years! I want to tell all blind people don’t fear the operation it doesn’t hurt and you will see it again.”

Over 1000 blind people in Aweil received their sights back.

The Eye campaign is the collaboration of the national ministry of health, the Ophthalmological Association of South Sudan, and the South Sudan Red Cross.

It was supported financially by the Himalayan Cataract Project, which is the German Catholic Bishops’ Organization for Development Cooperation.

Eye diseases are among the neglected diseases in South Sudan with only two active centers less equipped in Juba run by only experienced Ophthalmologists and middle cadres.

According to the organizers, this eye campaign is aimed to operate blind people due to cataracts to restore their sight so that their careers like children and women can become more productive in their lives.

A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye resulting in gradual loss of vision and blindness.

During this campaign, almost 5000 people with various types of eye diseases were screened and over 1000 people made blind due to cataracts were successfully operated on by a team of doctors

Northern Bahr el Ghazal has estimated to have the biggest burden of blindness due to cataracts, which could be treated easily by an operation.