“I Miss Reciting the Holy Quran”: Living Without Sight During Ramadan

One of the world’s most densely populated countries, Bangladesh is home to around 175 million people. 91 percent of this huge population identify as Muslim. As Ramadan begins, millions will fast from sunrise to sunset to strengthen their connection to Allah. But for thousands of Muslims in Bangladesh, Ramadan will be spent in the dark – 27 million people in the country suffer from vision loss, including 950,000 who are blind.

Since 1985, Orbis, a global blindness prevention charity, has been working to provide high-quality eye care and train healthcare professionals to treat the causes of avoidable sight loss in the country. With only 1,200 ophthalmologists currently working in Bangladesh (equating to just one per 146,000 people), this represents a daunting challenge in delivering eye care services to the general population.

Smriti’s struggle with blindness in Ramadan
 

In Shariatpur, a green and vibrant rural district in the central region of Bangladesh, 28-year-old Smriti and her family prepared to sit down for Suhoor (the pre-dawn meal eaten during Ramadan). But unlike previous years, Smriti did not feel excited for the day ahead. She felt only pain, stress, and worry. For Smriti had bilateral cataracts and was unable to even recognise her children’s faces, let alone prepare meals, fast, or read the Holy Quran.

“The celebrations lost appeal for my family because of my illness. I could not fast due to several health complications. Enjoying Iftar [the meal taken after sunset] is the best thing during the fasting month, but I was not able to prepare iftar,” says Smriti. “I kept saying my regular daily prayers despite my illness. But I could not recite the Holy Quran.”

Just as Smriti’s hopes started to fade, she heard about a project in Haimchar, a neighbouring district around 30 kilometres away. Supported by Orbis, the project provides high-quality eye care to around 50,000 people, referring patients with more serious vision-related issues to the local hospital. The centre, based on Orbis’s Women-Led Green Vision Centre model, is run and managed by women from the local population, because, in these areas, women and girls are often more likely to seek eye care for themselves and their children when it is administered by a female practitioner.

“The Vision Centre… was very helpful for female patients like me, particularly those who follow the teachings of Islam. I did not feel shy or uneasy discussing my problems and having my eyes examined,” says Smriti.

Following the consultation, Smriti was referred to the local hospital for cataract surgery.

“When the bandages were removed, it was one of the finest moments in my life,” she explains. “I could see my youngest son’s face for the first time since his birth, see the changes to my eldest son’s appearance, and see the beauty of the world again.”

A Ramadan without joy
 

Smriti is not alone. Across Bangladesh, many, including children like 11-year-old Mahfuza, face similar struggles. An accident at the age of three left Mahfuza with bilateral cataracts that worsened over time. As her eyesight continued to blur, she became increasingly withdrawn, unwilling to celebrate with the other children.

At the Haimchar vision centre, Mahfuza was diagnosed with bilateral cataracts. At first, Mahfuza’s mother, Hawa, was devastated by the news, afraid that her daughter had contracted a terrible disease with no cure. And yet, soon after, she was able to access sight-saving treatment at the local hospital.

“My daughter’s life would have been ruined without access to these services,” says Hawa. “She would not be able to see, study or do anything normally. Everything in her life would have been troublesome.”

Bringing light to the community
 

Tasmia is a Mid-level Ophthalmic Personnel (MLOP) who runs the Haimchar Vision Centre. She is responsible for screening patients who come to the centre, keeping patients safe during Ramadan, and encouraging the community to continue using eye drops during their fast to treat glaucoma, dry eye, or viral infections.

“Some patients think that applying eyedrops will somehow… break their fast, which is not true. We make them aware that eyedrops do not enter their mouths, so that they [can] receive treatment without any worries during Ramadan,” Tasmia explains. “Because of my faith, I came into the medical profession so I could help people in need. Our faith is all about being a good human being and helping others as if they are family.”

Over the next five years, Orbis plans to establish fifteen new Women-Led Green Vision Centres across Bangladesh, and upgrade ten existing eye care centres, run exclusively by women, as well as being environmentally and financially sustainable. To find out more about Orbis’ work, you can visit their website here: https://gbr.orbis.org/en/ramadan2025.