Fred D
The End of Blindness
The fact that I've watched this delightful film twice by myself and viewed it two times again with friends would let you know that I loved it! Ethiopia has one of the highest rates of cataract blindness in the world – and 80% of the cases are treatable with a $50 surgery! Dr. Samuel Bora's family is so poor that he has to clean the classroom on weekends in order to attend school, but he has a strong desire to study, and his studies are sponsored by a Finnish couple. He goes on to excel at school and university and become an ophthalmologist. Dr. Bora decides to dedicate himself to practicing in his country and region and serving the poor.
A non-profit, The Tropical Health Alliance Foundation (THAF) hears of Dr. Bora and an alliance is formed. He is set up with all of the equipment, staff, and organization necessary, and is now serving as the only ophthalmologist in a region of Ethiopia with a population of 3 million! A unique aspect of his practice is that a van has been set up to transport all of the operating equipment necessary and Dr. Samuel travels to rural regions, where a complete operating room is set up! He has perfected a form of cataract surgery which only takes 5 minutes, in which each patient is fitted with a lens which is appropriate for them. Villagers travel by foot and arrive the day before–always many, many more than can be seen. According to the founding ophthalmologist at THAF, Dr. James Guzek, MD, the results achieved are excellent and equal to what is achieved in the USA. There are days when Dr. Samuel performs up to 60 surgeries in a day, and one year in which he performed 4,000 operations.
One gets to know Dr. Bora: his gentleness, intelligence and humanity shine brightly. We get to meet his patients, intimately, see the operations, and share in their bubbling joy, when the day after the operation, their bandage is removed. The science of the various eye conditions and the logistics of his practice are presented very well, and are an exciting part of the documentary, as are the people of Ethiopia.
I found that the music was so in sync with what's happening on the screen that you almost are unaware of it, yet when you do notice it, it's great. In fact, the Director has done a beautiful job in presenting and blending the many aspects of this important and moving story (which are at times intense) very clearly and without any artifice. Everything unfolds simply and quietly, as if you were there yourself!
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
04/19/23
Full Review
ranny l
The End of Blindness is a beautifully shot, moving real-life story drawing attention to an important current issue. It's not just a great watch, but a necessary watch in 2021.
Ethiopia is facing a crisis. With over four million cases of visual impairment it has one of the highest rates of blindness on the continent, but one man — Mr. Samuel Bora — is fighting to change that. Dr. Bora is the only ophthalmologist for over three million people in rural Ethiopia, providing free cataract surgery to the blind poor. Dr. Samuel performs up to 60 surgeries a day for those who would otherwise be forgotten. The End of Blindness takes you into the operating room and shows you the impact one can have on the lives of thousands of people, from children with cataracts due to trauma to a blind mother who has never seen her son.
Dr. Bora's passion for helping the poor is evident, as he has been touched by poverty. The film features many emotional scenes where he shares more about his journey from working in his village to being sponsored for a formal education by two Finnish missionaries. The care with which Dr. Bora does his work and the compelling way he speaks about his job and his life make a narrator almost unnecessary. The narrator only interjects once or twice to help move the story along or summarize, which works well. My favorite scene in the film is when Dr. Bora visits a patient whose eyesight has been restored; seeing the ecstasy on her and her husband's face really made my day, and I'm sure it made Dr. Bora's day, too. The cinematography is beautiful and it's evident that a professional team has taken on this effort. Panoramic shots of Addis Ababa and the Ethiopian countryside open the film and close-up shots of surgery provide a clear view of exactly how cataract surgery is performed (though many may be squeamish at the sight). Overall, it's an immaculately created film.
The End of Blindness promotes community service, using your talents for good and showing compassion, just like Dr. Samuel Bora does. There are some graphic scenes of surgery that those who are afraid of needles or blood will find difficult to watch.
I give The End of Blindness 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 14 to 18, plus adults. The End of Blindness releases on demand on November 16, 2021.
By Eshaan M., KIDS FIRST!
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Can you imagine being the only doctor around for 3 million people and never giving up? I was so encouraged by Dr. Sam's story. His life-changing work --restoring vision and freedom/dignity to the blind person AND liberating a second person (usually a child) who functions as a guide for the former--is not only inspiring and amazing, but definitely worth sharing.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
01/18/23
Full Review
Audience Member
What a wonderfully inspiring documentary about the power of one person's spirit to literally be able to raise an entire village. To lose your sight must be absolutely devastating, but to lose your sight and have so little else (very little money, very little food, very little clean water, barely having a roof over your head) is something I can't even wrap my head around. This doc really captures the beauty not only of Ethiopia, but the spirit, love and tenacity of its people who not only survive in such inhospitable conditions, but thrive and are happy. And to see one man, Dr. Bora, give so selflessly of his time, talent and ability to help them is truly inspiring. How he's able to perform so many intricate eye operations safely in such makeshift "operating rooms" is an eye-opener (no pun intended) and a miracle. The director did a great job of picking subjects that we cared about and wanted to see win, and, without giving too much away, if you don't shed a tear seeing what these people go through to attain something we all take for granted - our precious sight - your soul is not alive. Definitely the most feel-good experience I've had with a feature film this year.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
01/20/23
Full Review
Audience Member
With over four million cases of visual impairment and a million people legally blind, Ethiopia has one of the highest rates of blindness within Africa. . But one man Dr. Samuel Bora is working to make a difference.
As the only ophthalmologist for over 3 million people in rural Ethiopia who provides free cataract surgery to the blind poor, Dr. Bora performs up to 60 surgeries a day for those who would otherwise be forgotten. This movie allows you to step inside the operating room and witness the powerful impact he has on the lives of thousands of people, including a blind mother who has never seen her son.
This is a hard movie to watch, but one that I feel that we all should just to realize exactly how lucky we are. Often, we can forget that and this movie is a brutal reminder.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
02/06/23
Full Review
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