Windhoek — A young man desperately needs assistance from the general public to help save his eyesight.

According to Tuhafeni Eliakim, he was born blind and in 2008 he underwent an operation that resulted in him losing his right eyeball due to complications. He has since then undergone 14 eye operations and if the problem persists, he is now on the verge of losing the remaining left blind eyeball due to a persisting infection.

"I had to have my right eye removed because it was really giving me problems and in 2009 my left eye started to give me problems as well," said Eliakim, who lives in one of the informal settlements. He added that he has since made numerous trips to the Windhoek Central Hospital where he receives his monthly dose of medication for his severely infected blind eye.

"I am in pain most of the time and now this eye is infected, I can't even sleep because of the pain. Most of the time there is blood coming from the eye and I really cannot take the pain. Every time I go to the doctor they give me painkillers - I don't even know how may hospital cards I have now with the same medication all the time," he said.

He added that any financial assistance would help him to seek private medical attention.

"The doctors have tried their best but I think that something can be done and if there is anything - I would really want to try that. So far the only option they have given me is to take this eye out as well and I know there must be other ways," he said.

He currently lives with his unemployed father and is requesting help from the public.