A Second Chance at Sight: María’s Journey from Darkness to Light

“I can see the whole horizon again… I’m excited, and that’s exactly what I wanted: to be able to see again.”

That’s how María Florinda Martínez, with tears of gratitude in her eyes, summarizes the moment she regained her sight after five years of darkness.

At 67 years old, María was completely blind due to cataracts in both eyes. She depended on her daughters for everything—from walking inside her own home to being fed by hand. Watering her flowers, sweeping the patio, or simply stepping out to the doorway were things of the past. But she never lost faith.

With hope intact and holding one of her daughters’ hands, she traveled over three hours from her community to the Robles Ophthalmology Center in Santa Rosa de Copán, where the Social Ophthalmology Program operates. Her dream was to recover her sight, even if it was just in one eye.

“When I could still see, I was able to do so many things. Now, I need help even to be fed,” said María in a soft voice, her gaze sorrowful but her heart full of hope.

A Safe Surgery

At 12:00 noon, her evaluation began. By 1:00 p.m., she was in the operating room. The surgery, which lasts only about 10 to 15 minutes, was performed using phacoemulsification technology—a technique that uses ultrasound to break up the cloudy lens and replace it with an intraocular lens. The procedure was a success.

Just twenty minutes after recovery, Dr. Robles examined her. Around 3:00 p.m., María Florinda was able to see again with one of her eyes.

Filled with emotion and still in disbelief, she walked on her own for the first time in years, stepped out to the door of the ophthalmology center, and looked toward the horizon. “I saw the trees, I recognized the doctor’s face… I was nervous about the surgery, but that dream came true,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion.

Today, María has regained not only her vision, but also her independence and joy.