Everything became clear for Thanh

Thanh is a student in Can Tho City, Vietnam. Like many children in her community, she had struggled with her vision for years without receiving proper eye care.

Four years ago, after telling her parents she could not see clearly, she was taken to a private glasses shop and given a pair of glasses for mild refractive error. But when she put the glasses on at home, she found that they didn't help her vision, so she stopped wearing them after just a few days.

Without regular eye checks or the correct prescription, Thanh’s eyesight continued to worsen.

Thanh is described as a cheerful girl who enjoys spending time with friends and playing sports. 

But over time, blurred vision began affecting every part of her life.

As her eyesight worsened, even her old glasses no longer helped enough.

She struggled to see clearly, especially with her right eye, and had to ask teachers if she could sit at the front of the classroom just to read the board.

Studying became more difficult. Concentrating was harder. Her school results began to decline.

Without treatment, Thanh’s eyesight was at risk of getting much worse.

Thanh’s story changed through an Orbis project in Vietnam.

Through a project Orbis delivered school-based eye screenings across nine districts in Can Tho City.

More than 1,500 students at Thanh’s school received vision screening for refractive errors and other eye conditions.

Thanh needed further examination.

Doctors found she had severe myopia in her right eye and mild myopia in her left eye. They also discovered that the glasses she had been wearing had the wrong prescription.

This meant her eyesight was not being corrected properly.

Doctors warned that if Thanh continued wearing the wrong glasses, her right eye could become weaker over time, increasing her risk of sight loss in the future.

Thanks to the project, Thanh received a new pair of spectacles free of charge.

Her reaction was immediate.

“Wow! Wow! Is that real? I can’t believe it. I’m so grateful.”

With the correct prescription, the difference was life changing.

“I’m so happy with my new glasses, they fit me very well. With them, everything I see becomes as clear as crystal and I feel like the world is more colourful and beautiful. It becomes much easier for me in studying, playing and in daily activities.”

For Thanh, clear vision now means being able to learn, play and enjoy childhood without barriers.

Her mother shared: “Thank you for the free wonderful eyeglasses that are really helpful for my daughter.”

Millions of children live with vision problems that can be treated or corrected with simple interventions such as glasses, something we often take for granted here in the UK.

Without early detection, conditions like myopia can affect education, confidence and long term eye health.

At Orbis, we work to end avoidable blindness by strengthening local eye care systems, training eye health professionals and bringing eye care services directly to children and communities.

By integrating vision screening into school health checks, more children can be identified early and receive the treatment they need.

For children like Thanh, a simple eye test can help protect sight and open up brighter futures.