Liu Minxia

    mllmx@msn.com

    THREE women from rural areas in other provinces regained their vision last week after undergoing free surgeries at a Shenzhen hospital, which launched a project Saturday to offer free eye surgeries to Marfan syndrome patients across the country.

    Marfan syndrome is a hereditary disease that affects the body’s connective tissues, often manifesting in eye disorders.

    Hu Honghong from Chenzhou, Hunan Province; Che Kun from Panjin, Liaoning Province; and Ye Jun from Jingzhou, Hubei Province, were found to have Marfan syndrome and lost their vision years ago.

    Dr. Dennis Lam, a leading ophthalmologist in Asia and founder of C-Mer (Shenzhen) Dennis Lam Eye Hospital, performed eye surgery on them Thursday and Friday.

    Hu, Che and Ye are the first three Marfan syndrome patients to benefit from the charity project that aims to give free eye surgery to 50 Marfan syndrome patients across the country.

    Aided by Project Vision, a charity foundation founded in Hong Kong to help people with eye problems regain their vision, and Beijing Kangxin Marfan Syndrome Care Center, the patients will undergo the surgery at C-Mer (Shenzhen) Dennis Lam Eye Hospital. Doctors at the hospital, including Dr. Lam, Dr. Bhaskar Srinivasan, Dr. Sudipta Das and Dr. A. S. Karthikeyan, will be the chief surgeons.

    “I couldn’t even see my own hand if I stretched my arm forward,” Hu, a mother of three and in her 20s, told reporters Saturday. “I could only walk by myself if there is a wall or handrail for me to depend on. But now I can read and run.”

    Marfan syndrome can also affect heart tissue and Hu underwent heart surgery last year in Beijing. The 150,000-yuan (US$23,077) surgery was mostly paid for through donations. At least one of Hu’s children has been diagnosed with Marfan syndrome.

    “After the heart surgery, I totally lost my ability to work and my family became penniless,” Hu said. “How I wished I could see things and do some work to earn some money and have my sick child treated.”

    At least 200,000 people in China suffer from Marfan syndrome, with 90 percent of them living in rural areas. Heart surgery for sufferers usually costs between 100,000 yuan and 700,000 yuan, while eye surgery for Marfan syndrome patients usually costs about 20,000 yuan.

    “My single hope is that patients will play the gift forward and help more Marfan syndrome patients,” said Lam.

    Chang Jiguo, a deputy head of Beijing Kangxin Marfan Syndrome Care Center, told reporters Saturday that he and his only son, Chang Yuanzheng, suffered from Marfan syndrome and he turned to Lam 15 years ago to help his son regain his vision. Now the father and son are working for the project.

    Those looking for more information about the project can contact the hospital at 3360-9300.