Vahan’s Story

Orphaned Baby’s Sight Saved

Vahan, born eight weeks premature, weighed two pounds and suffered from many health problems. One of the more serious was Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP), an eye disease that leads to a lifetime of blindness if not recognized early and treated.

Compounding his health problems, Vahan was orphaned after birth. His parents didn’t feel they could care for a sick child and the expense was too much for them so they gave him to an orphanage in Nork.

Vahan’s eye disease required that he remain hospitalized at the AECP Center of Excellence for the Prevention of Childhood Blindness so doctors could keep a close watch on his eyesight. He did not respond to conservative treatment and as his disease progressed the doctors decided they had to perform a delicate surgery to save Vahan’s eyesight.

Following successful eye surgery, Vahan returned to the orphanage. He is a favorite among the staff who give him lots of attention and report that he is doing very well after overcoming so many health issues. Vahan follows toys with his eyes and recognizes faces. And best of all, he smiles all the time and is a happy, healthy baby.