World Sight Day 2025: A Father's Journey, A Son's New Vision

Nine-year-old Liam from northern Peru is a bundle of energy. He loves to play soccer and read—activities many children take for granted, but ones which were made difficult due to Liam’s strabismus.

Strabismus is a potentially blinding eye condition that causes the eyes to misalign. It can affect not only vision, but a child’s self-esteem, especially when left untreated. Liam’s father, Jefferson, remembers noticing the signs early. "We saw that he hid his eyes,” he says.
 

Image gallery: Liam before and after surgery at an Orbis-supported training project

Liam is a determined student. Despite the bullying, he would always try his hardest at school. But now, thanks to his corrected eyesight, he is able to get the grades his effort deserved. His father beams with pride: “He reads well, he has good vision. He is doing well at school.”

Everything changed when Liam was selected for surgery through an Orbis-supported training project in Lima. The program focused on pediatric strabismus and included hands-on learning for local eye care teams, including ophthalmologists, nurses, and anesthetists.

After his operation, Liam’s transformation was immediate and heartwarming. “I can already see his improvement,” says Jefferson. “It gives me great joy and enormous pleasure to see my son much better.”

With his eyes now aligned and his confidence growing, Liam’s path forward looks brighter. “After his operation, I think Liam’s life is going to change,” says Jefferson. “He's going to have complete vision. He’s not going to have any obstacles.”

We would like to say a big thank you to everyone involved in Liam’s care, his parents for their determination, and our supporters, who made all this possible.

Donate to Orbis today, to ensure more children can love their eyes the way Liam now loves his.