Rosa Regains Her Sight Thanks to a Corneal Transplant

Rosa Mélida, a 78-year-old woman, is in the process of regaining her vision after years of blindness in her right eye.

Restoring her sight was made possible through a corneal transplant performed via CAMO’s Ophthalmology Program in collaboration with the Robles Ophthalmology Center.

Originally from the community of San Juan de Opoa, Rosa lost her vision due to corneal decompensation.

“I couldn’t see anything. They had to hold me to walk; I couldn’t do it because when I sat down, I felt like I might fall,” she recounted, describing the difficulties she faced before the surgery.

The surgical intervention was possible thanks to cornea donations from the United States, arranged by the medical team at the University of San Francisco and transported to Honduras to benefit patients like Rosa.

The surgery, performed by the team from the Robles Ophthalmology Center and CAMO, brought light back to the patient’s eyes.

After the operation and medical evaluation, Rosa expressed relief, “Thank God I can now see where I’m going to sit or where I’m going to walk,” she said. “I was worried, very anxious, but I had faith that they would operate on me and that I would regain my vision.”

Before losing her sight, Rosa was dedicated to household chores, especially cooking, an activity she had to abandon due to her condition. “I couldn’t do anything, but God willing, I’ll be able to do more things now,” she expressed excitedly.

Rosa’s case is one of many that CAMO has addressed in its efforts to improve the quality of life in Honduran communities through health and education programs.