TİKA Gave Hope to Palestinians Who Lost Their Eyes

Palestinians who lost their eyes during the blockade in Gaza restore their natural appearances thanks to the Artificial Glass Eye Project supported by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA).

TİKA supports the Artificial Glass Eye Production and Fitting Project, which is carried out by the Palestine Salvation Foundation for the care of injured people and people with disabilities, especially 10 people who lost their eyes in the attacks.

According to the reports of the Salvation Foundation, there are approximately 300 people who lost their eyes in Israeli attacks on Gaza.

Production Process

Prosthetic eye specialist Allam el-Ağa, who takes part in the project, draws capillaries on the eyes he has just manufactured in his workshop in General Service Association Hospital in Gaza with the help of TİKA.

Artificial glass eyes manufactured for those who lost their eyes in the frequent attacks on Gaza go through a process that Ağa describes as “complicated,” until they are completed.

Stating that the artificial glass eye production process consists of many stages, Ağa said, “One month after the injury, the eye is measured for studies. The experimental model matching the other eye is prepared, and then, the iris is produced. After the eye is painted in matching colors and capillaries are added, the artificial eye is coated with clear acrylic to protect it from changes.”

Ağa also said, “The artificial eye is entirely made of acrylic as it does not harm the eye. As this material is not chemically reactive, it does not cause any sensitivity in the eye cavity or have any side effect on it.”

TİKA Contributes to Alleviating the Pain of the Palestinians

Abdullah el-Haccar, Deputy Director of the Salvation Foundation, stated that this humanitarian project, which was implemented with the support of TİKA, alleviated the pain of Palestinians who lost their sight.

Haccar noted that this project has become one of the fundamental annual projects of the Foundation as the number of those who lost their eyes for various reasons increased.

Underlining that TİKA is one of the organizations that help Palestinian people with disabilities the most with the projects it supports, Haccar thanked Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the President of the Republic of Turkey, and TİKA.

The Happiness of the Palestinian Young Boy

15-year-old Palestinian Rani el-Behensavi lost his eye when he was shot during the “Great March of Return” protests he participated in last year as he wanted the blockade to be lifted.

He said, “My family could not afford an artificial eye. An artificial glass eye costs around 1,000 dollars.” Behensavi said that he was glad that he has benefited from the project and that the eye he lost was replaced with an artificial eye.

Most of Those Who Lost Their Eyes Are Young

Iyad al-Hillis, Medical Director of General Service Association Ophthalmic Hospital, said, “Most of those who lost their eyes in Israeli attacks on Gaza are young.” Noting that they restored the natural appearances of people with disabilities by fitting an artificial eye, Hillis added that the artificial glass eye also provides psychological benefits to Palestinian people with disabilities to get back to their social lives.