A father is grateful to The National’s readers for helping to prevent his eldest son from going blind.
After the Helping Hands case of 10-year-old Faisal, who was losing his eyesight and needed Dh38,000 for a cornea transplant, hundreds of readers contacted The National and Dar Al Ber to help cover the cost of his surgery.
The cornea in Faisal’s left eye was damaged and he could barely see out of the other. Without the transplant required to treat his condition, advanced keratoconus, a thinning disorder of the cornea, the Grade 5 pupil would have gone blind.
Last month, Dr Vladimir Tchouprine, at the Saudi German Hospital in Dubai, performed the surgery.
“It was a success,” he said. “Faisal is fine. We have changed his cornea and his stitches will be removed in around seven months – but we are very satisfied with his progress.”
His right eye will have to be monitored, Dr Tchouprine said, but, “Our immediate concern was Faisal’s left eye and that has been resolved”.
Faisal’s father, Hussain Hansh, said that since his son’s surgery, the family has been celebrating.
“We are so happy – my wife and me. Our son can see – he will not go blind. We are so grateful to everyone who has donated.”
Faisal, who was told by his school to stay at home because he could not see, will soon resume his studies.
Hisham Al Zahrani at Dar Al Ber said: “We want to thank everyone who wanted to donate to help Faisal. Without the overwhelming and immediate response from readers, Faisal would have lost his eyesight.”
Salnuwais@thenational.ae
