For the first time in five years, Birsanand Kumar, 49, was able to see the creases on his friend’s smiling face. As a carpenter, his work had suffered immensely. While he once worked nine hours a day: making chairs, tables, and building houses in his village of Jakha, the fine details became harder to manage.

When he finally wore a pair of eyeglasses suited to his power for nearsightedness, he smiled immediately. It was the first time in his life he had undergone an eye test — and the first time in years he could see clearly.

“I can read my name,” he said gleefully, holding up a paper with his name written in Hindi close to his eyes. Just moments earlier, he had shared how his declining vision had affected his mental health, leaving him worried and sometimes isolated.

LIFE IN THE HANGIN

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