9-year-old boy’s vision saved after EyeSite cataract surgery

After suffering from blurry vision for the past five years, a boy from Pangasinan is now well on his way to regaining his clear eyesight with the help of GMA Kapuso Foundation and EyeSite Mandaluyong. 

“Sa wakas, matatapos na rin ang paghihirap niya sa mga mata niya,” said Daisy May Taberna, mother of 9-year-old Prince who recently underwent cataract surgery at EyeSite Mandaluyong, a full-service eye clinic. “Makakakita na uli siya nang mabuti. Makakapag-aral na siya nang mas maigi.” 

According to Mrs. Taberna, Prince was always tripping over things and insisting on playing with his phone in the dark even during day time since he was four years old. He was then brought to their local eye doctor who diagnosed him with cataracts on both eyes. 

She said she was advised to get the procedure in a more equipped facility than the hospitals in Pangasinan. With the help of GMA Kapuso Foundation, Mrs. Taberna was able to connect with EyeSite Mandaluyong and book an appointment to have Prince’s cataracts removed.  

“Nung pinasok siya sa operating room, ayaw niya magpaiwan. Nagwawala. Kaya hinintay ko siya makatulog,” Mrs. Taberna said as she recalls the day of the surgery. Prince, who started getting blurry vision at age four, thought his eyeballs would be plucked out.

“Pag-gising niya nag-wi-wild kasi gusto kamutin mata niya,” she added. “Talagang makulit si Prince.”

According to Dr. Michelle Lingao, the EyeSite Mandaluyong ophthalmic surgeon, who performed the procedure, Prince is exceptionally doing well post-surgery because oftentimes, when a person develops cataracts at a very young age and has them removed only at a much later time, the vision wouldn’t be as clear anymore.  

To avoid delayed treatment, Dr. Lingao advises parents to have their child undergo vision screening as early as 2 years old or upon reaching school age. For those who have a history of childhood cataracts, screening is recommended as early as infancy. 

“I have seen a lot of kids who, at first, were thought to be experiencing developmental delays, or were just lazy or struggling academically. Only to find out that they have poor vision,” she said. 

“If a child tends to go near the TV or reads books too close to their face, frequently tumbles, or if their head is turned to the side when looking at something, the parent should immediately bring the child to an eye doctor.”

With its state-of-the-art operating facility catering to both kids and adults needing sight-saving procedures like cataract and glaucoma surgery, EyeSite Mandaluyong has firmly positioned itself as a one-stop eye care center for all eye care needs. EyeSite Mandaluyong offers a comprehensive eye examination that uses top-of-the-line equipment to effectively diagnose a child. This allows EyeSite Mandaluyong to treat a variety of conditions, from those that affect the outer part of the eye like stye and ptosis to the inner layer like retina and nerve problems.   

EyeSite Mandaluyong is a joint venture between the Asian Eye Institute and RelianceUnited, a company under United Laboratories (Unilab) that aligns with Unilab’s mission to provide “Trusted Quality Healthcare.” The clinic directly addresses the changing healthcare needs of Filipinos in the new normal and its services include general ophthalmology, pediatric ophthalmology, and optical retail.