'Wow!' The eye surgery marathon that restored sight for some South Africans

Gladys Khoza has regained her sight after a cataract surgery marathon in South Africa. She is one of 133 people who had free surgeries last month. Patients in South Africa's public health system can wait years for the simple, 15-20-minute procedure. Some had been waiting since 2019. Cataracts are the leading cause of curable blindness. The surgeries replace the clouded lens with an artificial one. Dr. Tebogo Fakude, one of the volunteer doctors, says restoring sight is “beautiful.” The Health Department uses these surgical marathons to reduce backlogs and improve access to care.