Baha Salim, Nablus, May 2012

In 2004, when Baha Salim was 15 years old, he was shot in the right eye.  As a result, he suffered massive destruction of both the eye and the socket.  Unfortunately, at that time, he received a very poor standard of post-traumatic care, with little attention paid to any cosmetic reconstruction. 

Baha’s disfigurement had an enormous psychological effect on the boy.  What was left of his eye socket was too small to accommodate a prosthesis.  Obvious defects of the eye are particularly stigmatised in the oPt and Baha, a good student, was forced to leave school early. 

Still unable to wear an artificial eye when he came to us in May 2012 – now a 23 year old carpenter living in Nablus – Baha was lucky enough to be able to consult with Preeminent Oculoplastic Surgeon, Mr Tony Tyers, then on his 18th visit to Hospital. 

Mr Tyers, ordinarily based at the Salisbury District Hospital in Wiltshire, has been coming to the Hospital as a volunteer since the early 1990’s.  He is Past President of both the European Society of Ophthalmic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, and the British Oculo-Plastic Surgery Society.

Baha was in good hands. 

Indeed, having undergone surgery to reconstruct his right eye socket, Baha is now able to wear a prosthesis.  The post-operative improvement to both his appearance and psychological health were immediately apparent. 

Although he is currently single, Baha and his family were so happy with the restoration of his appearance that they are hopeful he will soon find a wife. 

After the surgery, Mr Tyers stated that he was, “impressed by the result and its effect on the patient”.  We are all enormously grateful to Mr Tyers that such an outstanding figure in the ophthalmic field comes to us in order to provide his much-needed expertise free-of-charge.