Gaza's war-weary struggle without glasses as eye care supplies vanish

Nearly three years of conflict have devastated Gaza's healthcare system, leaving residents without access to essential eye care services and materials. For many displaced Palestinians, this has turned a routine medical need into a daily crisis.

Raed al-Abadi, a 67-year-old displaced Palestinian living in a tent in Khan Younis, has worn glasses for over three decades. His single pair is now broken, with a lens that keeps falling out. "Glasses are expensive," he said, struggling to fix them. "Do we only need food and water? We also need glasses. We need to see, read, read the Quran, use cell phones — nothing works without it."

Soheir al-Abadi, displaced from Beit Lahiya, described a similar ordeal. Her glasses are snapped at the side and held together with glue. "The glasses are very expensive, so I am unable to buy them," she said. "This is a lot of suffering."

For Waleed Ghalban, another displaced resident, the lack of a functional pair affects every aspect of life. "I am totally dependent on glasses to read, to read the Quran, to use the cellphone, to read books," he said. "I suffer when I go to the market, when I want to pay and give money."

Opticians in the enclave report a critical shortage of supplies. Ahmad Abu Quta, an optician in Khan Younis, said there are no frames or lenses available. He noted that some patients are wearing contact lenses that expired in 2021. "When I tell them that the contact lenses expired in 2021, unfortunately their response is that they only want to see," he said.

The scarcity has driven prices up sharply. Many residents lost their glasses during displacement or had them damaged in their homes. Some, like Luay Abu Samra, have resorted to temporary fixes. He received a sunglass lens as a substitute for an eyeglass lens a year and a half ago. Akram Abu Siyam, displaced from Rafah, said his pair broke within a week. "Now, I am trying to find a place to get measurements for glasses but I can't," he said. "If it is available, then it is expensive. It is all because of the siege and the situation we are in."

The conflict has killed more than 73,400 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government. The ministry's records are considered generally reliable by U.N. agencies and international organizations. The toll does not distinguish between civilians and militants, though women and children account for roughly half of the dead.