In 12 days, 3,000 free eye surgeries restored sight

Volunteer surgeons performed 3,000 free eye surgeries over 12 days at a community hospital in Cocorite, Trinidad and Tobago, restoring sight to islanders who had gone years without care. The Church of the 7th Day Adventists organized the marathon between May 14th and 26th, partnering with the nonprofits Hands International and Eyes for India. Many patients had never been able to afford cataract surgery. Using a high-volume technique developed by Eyes for India founder Jacob Prabhakar, surgeons managed roughly 450 procedures a day. Most patients arrived having skipped pre-surgical screening, again because of the cost, so volunteers had to sort who was ready and who still needed checks. That sorting turned out to be the hardest part of the whole operation. "When we replace that lens, people see again. Colors become sharper. Night blindness improves," said Reynold Agard, the Tobago-born president of Hands International. The team had aimed for 4,000.