Patient: Esther Nassli, Female, 5 years old
Trainee doctor:
Ophthalmologist: Dr Grace, Uganda
Volunteer doctor: Dr Daniel Neely, USA
Condition:
Bilateral Strabismus (squint in both eyes)
Outcome: Vision restored

Uganda’s healthcare is ranked as one of the worst in the world according to the World Health Organisation and has approximately half a million blind people.

We met Esther when our Flying Eye Hospital visited Uganda in March this year. Her sight was very poor due to squint.

Esther was orphaned at the age of 2 and raised by grandmother. Falling ill, her grandmother could not care for her any longer, so she went to live with her maternal aunt who Esther now calls Mummy being too young to retain any memories of her natural mother.

Onboard the plane, volunteer ophthalmologist Dr Neely of Indiana University’s School of Medicine performed the operation on her right eye and Dr Grace from Mulago hospital, Kampala, on her left eye. The procedure was a success.

Dr Neely said, “Esther was dancing onboard the plane when she realised she could see everything. It was magical.”
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