A Hong Kong charity’s vision to help needy and elderly with eye problems reintegrate into society

The slopes and busy roads of Hong Kong’s Central and Western district can be especially precarious for Ho Kai-shing, 64, who is blind in his left eye and severely short-sighted in his right.

Ho was resigned to having to squint hard at price tags in the supermarket, always checking his surroundings before crossing the road and staying home at night due to his poor vision. He had accepted his condition as part of the ageing process, and left the issue untreated for years.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, his medical condition and living situation deteriorated. Due to his health, Ho had not been working and relied primarily on the government’s social welfare scheme, which was insufficient to cope with price increases, according to him.

Just as all hope seemed lost, help for Ho came in the form of a referral to charity Saint Barnabas Society and Home three years ago.

“I was really scared of going out before, I couldn’t see the traffic lights clearly at all, there were fast cars and motorbikes, I couldn’t see them either, it was dangerous,” Ho recalled.

His fears were finally addressed when the charity introduced him to its project, Regain Crystal Clear Vision, aimed at helping elderly and homeless people restore vision through free eye examinations and surgeries if needed, allowing them to reintegrate into society.

“We have a crystal-clear vision to help people in need get back on their feet and work while they can also regain their self-confidence and dignity,” the charity’s senior minister and pastor Stephen Chan said.

Saint Barnabas Society and Home helped arrange multiple eye check-ups for Ho last year, and he was diagnosed with serious short-sightedness and cataracts. He underwent surgery in August last year.