Blind for 13 Years, Mother of Five Sees Husband for First Time After Life-Changing Surgery

A 30-year-old woman from Etam Town Council in Amolatar District has regained her sight after more than a decade of blindness, in a remarkable medical turnaround that has transformed her family life and renewed hope within her community.

Acila Kevin, a mother of five, had lived with bilateral cataracts since her teenage years, gradually losing her vision until she became completely blind. For years, she navigated life in darkness, raising children she had never seen and living with a husband whose face she only knew by voice.

Her breakthrough came during a surgical outreach conducted on 23 March 2026 at Amolatar Health Centre IV, where she was identified by an eye care team from Lira Regional Referral Hospital. Diagnosed with advanced cataracts in both eyes, she was admitted and successfully operated on the following day.

By the next morning, Kevin’s world had changed.

She recalled during a follow-up visit on 30 April that she began seeing immediately after the surgery, noting that for many years, she had not been able to see anything. She explained that she used to bump into objects, get lost on her way home, and often depended on people to guide her back, adding that she could now see everything clearly.

A Life Lived in Darkness

Kevin’s condition began around the age of 17, long before her marriage in 2018. Despite her visual impairment, she built a family, giving birth to five children, Adongo Prisca (7), Opio Isaac and Acen Deborah (5), Orech Haron (3), and a three-month-old baby she had never seen until after the surgery.

Daily life was fraught with danger and dependence. She nearly got knocked down by a motorcycle and frequently relied on strangers for direction. Simple tasks like collecting firewood or returning from the market became difficult and risky.

Despite these hardships, she maintained that her home was free from domestic violence.

Husband’s Unwavering Support

Her husband, Yubu Akwangà, said he only fully realised the extent of her condition after marriage, particularly following an incident at a milling machine that exposed her visual impairment.

He explained that he took on all household responsibilities, including cooking, digging, and grazing animals. He added that although some people advised him to abandon his wife and find another partner, he rejected such advice, saying it would have led to family separation.

Akwangà further noted that his wife used to attend antenatal care visits on her own despite her blindness, and that he remained hopeful and prayerful that she would eventually regain her sight.

Now, he said, life is beginning to change.

He expressed happiness that his wife can now see him for the first time and added that they would be able to work together, noting that she plans to engage in selling dry cassava to support the family.

Family and Community Reaction

Kevin’s father-in-law, Orech Felix, said he welcomed her into the family without initially knowing the extent of her disability.

He noted that she had never seen what her siblings looked like and often got lost when returning home, but expressed relief that she can now see after the surgery.

Local leaders have also taken note. Nelson Opon, the LC1 Chairperson of Arwot ‘A’ Cell, called for support to help the family rebuild economically.

He observed that people with such impairments often shy away from government programmes like PDM due to fear of repayment obligations and emphasised the need for targeted support.

Medical Perspective: A Treatable Condition

Health experts say Kevin’s case highlights both the burden and the reversibility of cataract-related blindness.

Ekwan Isaac Junior, an Ophthalmic Clinical Officer and Eye Care Programs Manager with the Kilimanjaro Centre for Community Ophthalmology involved in the outreach, explained that cataracts, caused by clouding of the eye lens, remain a leading cause of blindness but are treatable through surgery.

He noted that her condition had limited her productivity for years but that she can now regain independence and contribute economically.

The outreach, conducted between 21 and 25 March, screened 96 patients and carried out 31 surgeries, 29 of which were cataract-related.

Dr. Shamin Namwase, the eye surgeon who led the procedure, described the outcome as both medically and emotionally significant.

She explained that the patient previously had only light perception despite raising five children but can now clearly see her family and surroundings, describing the change as a complete transformation.

She also cautioned against harmful myths and traditional practices, such as the use of herbs or urine in the eyes, warning that they can cause permanent damage.

Expanding Access to Eye Care

Lira Regional Referral Hospital Director Dr. Andrew Odur said such cases demonstrate the critical importance of expanding eye care services across the region.

He noted that restoring sight also restores dignity, adding that the patient can now see her husband and children for the first time, which is life-changing.

He further revealed plans to scale up outreach programmes and establish facilities to produce eyeglasses locally to improve access for rural communities.

A New Beginning

For Kevin, the surgery marks not just a medical recovery but the beginning of a new chapter.

After 13 years in darkness, she is finally seeing the faces of her loved ones and stepping into a future she can now fully witness.