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Latest Cataract

He Travelled Two Hours So His Mother Could See Again

At a Glance

Al Mustafa Welfare Trust provides free cataract surgery for people in Pakistan who cannot afford treatment. Patients receive an eye examination, pre-operative tests and surgery at no cost, funded by donors in the UK. A donation of £45 funds one cataract surgery per eye.

In a small village near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, an elderly mother had been living with cataracts slowly clouding her sight. The faces of her family had grown harder to see, and the simple act of walking across a room had become something she could no longer do alone.

Specialist eye care was hours away. Her son had no car of his own and no way to pay for an operation. For many families in the border regions, that is where the story ends. For this family, it did not.

A message that changed everything

One day, a message in a WhatsApp group caught her son's attention. It said that Al Mustafa Welfare Trust was treating eye conditions free of charge. He did not hesitate. With his mother beside him, he made the two-hour journey from their village, holding on to the hope that she might see clearly again. When they arrived, she walked in on her son's arm, supported gently by a member of our team as she made her way inside.

Examined, tested and cared for

At the registration desk, her details were recorded and her assessment began. Our doctor examined her eyes closely and confirmed what the family had feared: cataracts were taking her sight. The good news was that it could be treated with free cataract surgery.

A cataract is a clouding of the eye's natural lens. During surgery, the cloudy lens is removed and replaced with a clear artificial one. Before any operation can go ahead, the medical team must be sure it is safe. Her blood sugar was tested, and a scan measured her eye so the correct replacement lens could be chosen. Every result was entered on her pre-operative record. None of it cost the family a single ruppee.

"The check-up and treatment are free, and if an operation is needed, there is no charge for that either."

Surgery at three o'clock

That afternoon, at 3pm, she was taken into theatre. The procedure itself took only a short time. When it was complete, our theatre staff helped her carefully from the table, a protective dressing over her eye. For a woman who had needed support to walk through the door, it was the first step towards moving through the world on her own again.

After her operation she sat alongside other patients who had also received surgery, each wearing protective dark glasses as their eyes began to heal. Every one of them had a family waiting to be seen again.

"Alhamdulillah, she is now recovering."

In her son's words

"I came to know through a WhatsApp group that Al Mustafa Welfare Trust provides eye treatment. I don't have my own car. We live in a village near the Pak-Afghan border, and I travelled two hours from there to get my mother's eyes treated.

The treatment here is very good. They do the check-up and treatment for free, and if an operation is needed, there is no charge for that either. My mother had her cataract surgery at 3 o'clock and, Alhamdulillah, she is now recovering.

I am very grateful to Al Mustafa Welfare Trust. They are helping the poor, and I thank them so much."

 

Her smile after surgery says more than any words could. A mother who had begun to lose sight of her family now has the chance to see them clearly again.

Why this work cannot stop

Cataracts are one of the most treatable causes of blindness. A short operation can restore sight for years to come. Yet for families living far from specialist care, distance and cost keep that treatment out of reach.

Since 2010, Al Mustafa Welfare Trust has carried out over 278,112 cataract surgeries for people in need. From our specialist eye hospitals in Pakistan to our free eye camps in remote villages, every operation is made possible by supporters who will never meet the people they help.

Give the gift of sight

Restoring someone's sight can be a meaningful form of Sadaqah Jariyah. Each surgery you fund helps a person regain their independence, care for their family and live with dignity. Give Sadaqah Jariyah today and help someone like this mother see her loved ones again.

Your donation What it provides
£45 One cataract surgery, per eye
£750 A school screening eye clinic for up to 300 people
£1,500 A full one-day eye camp, where it is needed most
£4,500 Three eye camps in an area of your choice

Somewhere, a son is waiting for his mother to see his face again. You can be the reason she does.