Seeing Doesn’t Mean Seeing “Clearly”

Before the sun had fully risen, the mountain mist in Taitung had already gently climbed the ridges, shrouding the tribes in a veil of fog. The air carried the freshness of early spring and a slight chill. In the remote mountain village of Tjukuvulj in Dawu Township, residents are waiting for a professional ophthalmology team, and ready to begin a day of heartwarming free eye camp.
“Dja vadja vay! (How are you?)”
“Ma sa lu! (Thank you!)”

As soon as we stepped into the community center, warm greetings in Pinayuanan filled the air. The elders had already gathered, chatting and joking with each other. Someone patted a shoulder and laughed, “Let’s check if we still got good spot!” Others whispered softly, their eyes filled with anticipation and a hint of unease.

A woman approached with a bright smile: “My husband and I have great eyesight; we’ve never worn glasses. What are we here for today?”
“Let the doctor check anyway!” we knew—this kind of “nothing’s wrong” is often what needs the most attention.

Many people think, “I don’t wear glasses, so my eyes must be pretty healthy.” But the truth is, having healthy eyes isn’t just about being able to see—it’s about seeing clearly and comfortably.

In Tjukuvulj, many elders tend to bear with their vision problems. Believing that “It’s not a big deal if I can’t see clearly.” But as their eyesight gets worse, they realize life becomes more difficult—walking, cooking, and even recognizing faces become a challenge. Sadly, they’ve often missed the best treatment window by then. This is exactly why we came here.

With the mission of “helping every pair of eyes see the beauty of the world,” the Taiwan Prevent Blindness Foundation, in collaboration with the Association of South-UnkHealth Care Promotion for Taitung Country, which has been deeply involved in Taitung’s Nanhui region. After months of preparation and coordination, finally embarked on this journey on March 14, 2025. Taiwan Prevent Blindness Foundation brought our own ophthalmology team to Tjukuvulj, offering a heartfelt joint free eye camp for the elders.

As the free eye camp began, a Pinayuanan teacher walked in. While waiting for his turn, he casually shares his story. His relaxed tone made us gasp in surprise.
“Actually, I couldn’t see out of my left eye before, but I didn’t think it was a big deal. It didn’t hurt, so I thought it was just aging and ignored it. Then one day, I had to take a medical exam for my driver’s license, and that’s when I found out there was a small stone stuck in my cornea!”
“A small stone?!” We stared at him in shock.
“Yes! It must have gotten in while I was out in the mountains. Over time, it damaged my cornea, and my vision got blurrier and blurrier,” he said and spread his hands. “Luckily, the doctor caught it early and arranged an emergency surgery. It took eight hours to slowly restore the vision in my left eye.”

He recalled with a laugh as if it were a trivial matter, but we couldn’t help but gasp. What if he hadn’t gone for that driver’s license, he might have lost that eye forever. His eyesight shouldn’t have been saved just because of “good luck.” Medical resources shouldn’t be the deciding factor in someone’s fate.
Normally, he has to travel to Taitung City for follow-ups every week, a one-hour trip each way, which is quite inconvenient. But this time, things are different. Free eye camps came directly to the tribe. Instead of a long trip, he only has to walk five minutes to reach the clinic. After a checkup eye exam, he was told his recovery was going well, giving him great peace of mind.

Stories like his are not rare in Tjukuvulj. When elders in the tribe get eye problems, their most common choice is to “wait it out.” To seek ophthalmic care, they have to take a bus to the city, one hour each way, over two hours round trip in total to nearby clinic. If they miss the township’s shuttle bus, they have to find their own way. Not wanting to burden their families, many elders endure the discomfort in their eyes until their vision becomes too blurry to function, the golden period for treatment is often long gone.

This is the REALITY of medical care in remote areas.