Excitement over the weekend engulfed the premises of the Phebe Hospital in Bong County, when more than 140 people regained their sight after successful and free cataract operations. This initiative was organized by First Sight Eye Clinic in collaboration with the General Optimal Association of Liberia (GOAL) with support from Cure Blindness Project.
The exercise, which ran from the 17th thru the 20th of March 2025, is part of GOAL's activities which mark its 7th anniversary, and the 4th National Convention held with its Bong Chapter. These activities were marked by the conduct of medical screenings and surgeries. This year, they had three days of screenings, supported by the Cure Blindness Project and other partners. A surgical team based in the U.S. was also instrumental to the entire process.
James Flomo 71, with excitement on his face, expressed gratitude to the leadership of GOAL and the US-based surgical team for the initiative, something he described as timely. "I feel relieved, and I feel amazed, I feel like a human on earth now, "said Mr. Flomo.
Following his operation, Flomo told the Daily Observer in an exclusive interview that he had lost his sight since 2017, and due to the situation, he could no longer support his family, as he lives by begging family members and friends for survival. Flomo prior to loss of sight, he was a farmer.
"I no longer farm like before. I have three children right now, only one is in school," he added. As Flomo sight is finally restored, he is optimistic that things will get better again. He had a bilateral complication which makes it difficult to see with both eyes.
Ma Kebeh Torkpa, 62, and Annie Flomo's, 53, both had glaucoma, as they narrated their story separately. For Ma-Kebeh, she never imagined she could lose her sight silently, as the warning signs had been there but, as a struggling petty businesswoman, she couldn't afford much to go for an eye checkup. For Annie, more than 4 years now she had been struggling with vision impediment. Annie said her only source of income is farming.
According to Ma Kebeh, since she lost her sight in 2022, she has found it challenging to take care of her children. Annie, a mother of 5, could not hold back, "I am so grateful that I can see once again."
Glaucoma is an eye condition that damages the optic nerve. This damage can lead to vision loss or blindness. The optic nerve sends visual information from your eye to the brain and is vital for good vision. Damage to the optic nerve is often related to high pressure in the eye.
Dr. Geoffrey Craig Tabin, a Professor of Ophthalmology and Global Medicine at Stanford University, stressed the importance of training more eye health professionals to be able to address Liberian current eye health challenges. He told the Daily Observer that Liberia lacks adequate access to eye health care services and, as such, building the capacity of eye health professionals is essential.
He explains that glaucoma is dangerous because it shows no symptoms until it has reached an advanced level. Dr. Tabin: "By the time patients seek help, their vision is often severely impaired, adding that glaucoma affects around 7% of the eye patients annually. Unfortunately, most cases are already advanced, but we do what we can."
Globally, glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness, affecting over 70 million people, and it is expected to impact 111.8 million by 2040. It silently damages the optic nerve and can lead to irreversible blindness if untreated.
During a PowerPoint presentation, Dr. Geoffrey noted that addressing vision loss and blindness is critical to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). People suffering from blindness lose opportunities to work and get education contributing to persistent inequalities. According to the 2021 UN resolution on vision eye care is instrumental in achieving the SDG.
This transformative surgical outreach program at Phebe Hospital in Bong County was an incredible exercise that brought total relief to those who suffer from visual impairment for several years.
Untold numbers of Liberians suffer from cataracts--some are caused from post-Ebola syndrome, some from underlying health conditions, some from injury or prolonged sun exposure. In many cases, they're congenital. A report done by the West Africa Health Foundation has also pointed to the lack of eye health care servers across the sub-region which is one of the contributing factors.
"When we started, it wasn't easy," said Gideon Tenty, General Secretary of GOAL. Patients came in large numbers, surpassing our expectations. After our interview, we noticed a greater influx of patients. To manage the situation, we quickly arranged the patients and prioritized those needing surgery."
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Tenty, who is also a surgeon, disclosed that on day one they assessed and accepted about 62 patients for surgery, by the end of each day, that had successfully operated on 40 patients.
He mentioned that apart from regular cases, they also handled some traumatic injuries. "We are blessed to have a dedicated team, including specialists from the U.S. and India. Together, they have already operated on one 12-year-old boy.
The cases vary, he said. Some patients suffer from traumatic injuries, such as eye injuries caused by accidents. Others have congenital conditions that worsen over time. "For instance, we have a case where a child developed a condition over the years and is now around 8 or 9 years old, that was also taken care of," Tenty said. "If we encounter cases beyond our scope, we refer them to medical centers like John F. Kennedy Medical Center (JFKMC). Since we are primarily focused on adults, we refer pediatric cases to specialists."
However, Tenty expressed appreciation for the efforts of all eye care professionals in Liberia for the initiative so far.
