Doctor and technician revive Afghan youth’s vision
Maj. Marcus Neuffer, 455th Expeditionary Medical Group ophthalmologist, and his technician, Airman 1st Class Chellbie Gonzales, conduct an ultrasound on the left eye of a 12-month boy in the Korean hospital on Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, July 7. Neuffer is currently the only doctor on Bagram who is qualified to operate on eyes. If a local patient comes in to one of the humanitarian hospitals, the Korean or Egyptian hospital, and is need of an eye surgery, they are brought to the American hospital. According to Nueffer, a child’s eye sight stops developing at about eight. If corrective surgery can be performed before then, with glasses, children should be able to regain enough vision to perform daily tasks. Both Maj Neuffer and A1C Gonzales are deployed from Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Staff Sgt. Stephenie Wade)