#ScienceSocial With Dr Subhadra Jalali at Yale Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Science
From Ethiopia to India – Yeabsira’s Journey to Clear Vision
Written by LVPEI Communications
Published 27th July 2026
Yeabsira is eleven years old. Like most children his age, he enjoys outdoor sports like football and admires his sport idols. Around two years ago, things had started to change — Yeabsira’s father, Mr Eyob, noticed something that did not seem right to him. One of Yeabsira’s eyes appeared “narrower and smaller” than the other. Thus began his investigation.
Mr Eyob looked through their family photographs and, over time, noticed that Yeabsira was struggling to see objects placed at a distance. This confirmed his cause for concern.
The changes, subtle at first, gradually started impacting Yeabsira’s daily routine. “He didn’t feel much different, but he started facing difficulties in school. He would fall behind in class while trying to copy from the blackboard,” explained Mr Eyob. Even though Yeabsira didn’t complain, his father knew that something needed to be done.
Their search for answers led them to the L V Prasad Eye Institute in India. A team of experts referred the family to Dr Mudit Tyagi and Dr Vishal Raval, who took charge of Yeabsira’s treatment.
“When Yeabsira came to us, there was fluid accumulation in the macular area of his eye [1]. The condition is known as Optic Disc Pit Maculopathy [2]. Yeabsira had already lost 50% of his vision with his visual acuity [3] being 20/100 in the right eye. To tackle the fluid accumulation that was blocking his vision, we injected him with a gas bubble, which helps in faster fluid absorption, and did an additional laser treatment. During his last check-up, we observed a 50% improvement in his vision, with his current visual acuity being 20/50”, Dr Vishal Raval explained. This means that Yeabsira could now see clearly from 20 feet away what a person with good vision could see from 50 feet away.
As with any parent, the small worries remain. Mr Eyob says he remains concerned even though his vision is doing well. But despite that, their experience with LVPEI left a lasting impression.
The treatment was unlike anything I’ve seen before, and I am hoping that others who are facing similar problems can find the help they need.
For Mr Eyob and his family, the travel from Ethiopia, East Africa, to the Kallam Anji Reddy (KAR) campus in Hyderabad, India, was a reassuring one. “I am especially grateful to the LVPEI admin, Rafia, for her excellent communication and reassuring support,” said Yeabsira’s uncle, Mr Amhayes. “Yeabsira’s father Mr Eyob was overjoyed to see a dramatic improvement! Yeabsira can now see much better without his usual glasses.”
Yeabsira is scheduled for another follow-up appointment before they leave for home. With no complications that surfaced, doctors say that the road ahead continues to look brighter with a clearer vision and continued care. “Within the next two weeks, I am expecting his condition to improve by another 10%,” said Dr Raval.
