Life-changing moment

"When a patient's gauze pads are removed the morning after the surgery, it's the moment of truth, the moment of revelation," said Leung, emphasizing that it's a life-changing moment for cataract patients.

The eyes are the window to the soul. Deprivation of, or a blur on, the window means ties are severed with the outside world. When the gauze pad is removed from the eye, patients can gain or regain more than eyesight. It is "independence in life", Leung said.

It's nothing less than transformation from a flat, monochrome world to a lively kaleidoscopic paradise, where all human connections and kinship blossom through the power of the eyes in reading souls and showing affection.

"I (once) asked a patient who was age 70-something, 'When you regain your eyesight, what's the first thing you would like to see?' He replied: 'I want to see my grandson who is 5 years old. I've been blind because of cataracts for seven years. Put yourself in that grandfather's shoes. You love your grandchild, but you've never been able to see him." Leung said.

"Light at the end of the tunnel" is synonymous with "hope". When life is shrouded in darkness and forbidding unknowns, catching a glimmer of light or even the slight knowledge that someone is out there lending a helping hand is reassuringly emotional.

The long-awaited removal of the gauze pads at 6 am the day after the surgery was like an epiphany, awash with nerves, suspense, anticipation and excitement. While the patients' reactions varied — their degree of blindness, post-surgical swelling and ages differed — the majority reported notably improved vision. Sometimes, the "unveiling" ritual was festive, redolent of a gathering of alumni.