Cataracts
are the leading cause of blindness in Indonesia, affecting 1.5 percent of the
total population. Though most often a condition that comes with aging and
afflicts the elderly, cataracts can also affect the very young. Alif, a
3-year-old from Krenggan village in Jombang district, East Java, suffers from
congenital cataracts, a condition he has had since birth. He can perceive
strong sources of light, and typically seeks them out. His parents cannot
afford to pay for surgery to treat his cataracts, and the various free programs
offered by charities are unable to treat the condition in very young children.
