Hospital train brings hope via surgery

The hospital train, part of the Lifeline Express fleet, arrived at Korla in early May. By late July, it had completed its mission of conducting operations for more than 1,000 cataract patients. The train is currently offering services in Shaoguan, Guangdong province, its final stop of the year.

Lifeline Express was launched in 1997 by Hong Kong residents to commemorate the city's return to China. As a result of the project, more than 230,000 cataract patients who live in areas with poor healthcare services have regained full vision.

Moreover, for many aspiring ophthalmologists, the project has become an essential step in their careers as a way to polish their professional skills and relish the pure pleasure of curing ailments and helping people.

Cataracts form a dense white cloud over the eye's natural lens, causing blurred vision. If untreated, they block all light and result in blindness. The condition is linked to factors such as age, diabetes, harsh ultraviolet radiation and injuries in which the outer layer of the eye has been penetrated.