Have you been diagnosed with a vision problem but can’t afford to deal with it? Amira was. She’s a 54-year-old from Iraq who’s gradually losing her sight to cataracts and another medical condition. While the solution for her cataracts is a rather simple procedure (cataract surgery), Amira also had diabetes, and her general practitioner determined that she was in the early stages of diabetic retinopathy. Her doctor is relatively young, inexperienced in eye care, and certainly not trained to perform any type of eye surgery. The country, still recovering from years of war, was hard-pressed to render proper aid to many of her citizens, like Amira.

Amira’s condition worsened and soon she developed some damage to her cornea. Her doctor recommended her family take her to India for a cornea transplant, as well as treatment options for her diabetic retinopathy. The more common cornea transplant was available in eye care facilities in popular Indian cities, but so were newer techniques that caused minimal damage to the eye and its surrounding tissues.

India was Amira’s best option, not only for treatment, but also in regard to affordability. Amira and her family researched her options in India, and then contacted a facility in Kerala that offered a variety of treatments including cataract and glaucoma surgery, LASIK surgery, and procedures to treat refractive errors, retinal detachment and diabetic retinopathy.

Amira traveled to Kerala, underwent two surgical procedures, and can now see much better. Her diabetic condition has also been addressed and now she no longer fears losing her sight.