SAN ANTONIO — Cataract surgery is a simple and common procedure that can cure blindness, but many go a lifetime without it. But there are many eye health providers here that are helping people around the world see so much of life they were missing.
In the undeveloped world simple cataract surgery just isn't an option, or at least wasn't an option for so many until organizations like the Himalayan Cataract Project came along. And for many that haven't been able to see for decades, their blindness was cured, and life changed forever.
"You know, they don't have the infrastructure of all this kind of laser equipment and, you know, technology that we have in the developed world," said Dr. Gregory Parkhurst, the CEO of Parkhurst NuVision, who has been to several countries around the world with the project.
Another, SEE International was just featured by YouTube sensation MrBeast whose video about curing blindness in 1,000 people around the world has garnered 95 million views in less than two weeks.
"There's people that even in their their homes, they'll have strings tied between the kitchen and the bedroom and or the restroom where they have to follow the string to get there," Dr. Parkhurst told us. "And it's it's so sad because it's something that can be fixed in a 20 or 30 minute operation."
"If you're wondering how this surgery allows people to see again, it is because the lens in their eye got so cloudy they can't see though it," MrBeast's video says. "So the surgeon uses a tiny vacuum to suck up the clouded lens. And replace it with an artificial one."
"Everybody has a little bit different reaction to it, but just being able to help someone see the world again when it's been gone for all that time, it's pretty awesome," Dr. Parkhurst added.