Recovering eyesight: ALEX QUESADA Photographie

Aksum, Ethiopia. 12/29/2017. Gebretsahme WeldeSelase is a 54 year old school teacher that has developed bilateral cataracts in the last year. He has not been able to teach. He is scheduled to get his eyesight back with a surgical procedure by Dr. Geoff Tabin, of the Himalayan Cataract Project, that is in Ethiopia to treat over 900 patients.

Gebretsahme WeldeSelase is dependent on wife Amsale Taye to take care of him, 24 hours a day.

Gebretsahme WeldeSelase Is having cataract surgery in both eyes today, at St. Mary's Aksum Hospital. he and hundreds of other patients have been scheduled today for cataract surgery. On the hospital grounds, he walks with his wife Amsale and another relative to the scheduled patient waiting area.

Waiting for his turn at surgery, with hundreds of other patients.

Dr. Geoff Tabin operates on both eyes of Gebretsahme WeldeSelase .

Prepearing for surgery.

Cataract surgery.

Gebretsahme WeldeSelase is back at St. Mary's Aksum Hospital, the morning after his bilateral cataract surgery. All patients that had surgery the day before, wait in the morning chill as doctors remove their eye patches, and observe them as they start seeing again. His wife, Amsale Teye, looks on in anticipation.

The bandages are off, first time seeing in over one year near total blindness.

Dr. Tabin checks the eyes of an ecstatic woman who can see again after her cataract surgery.

24 hours after bilateral cataract surgery, Gebretsahme WeldeSelase is trying on some reading glasses.

This pair will do....

Gebretsahme WeldeSelase is now back at work teachin g high school in Aksum.

At the Abba Pantaleon Monastery, after a long, steep hike, Gebre takes in the views of a favorite place he used to visit.