“Nothing prepares you for the moment a doctor tells you that your child could slowly lose his eyesight.” - Sai Bindhu, parent.

Three years ago, our lives changed forever when we were blessed with our son, Karthikeya. Like every parent, we dreamed of watching him grow, run around fearlessly, laugh at little things, point at colours, and discover the beauty of the world around him.

But slowly, we began noticing things that felt different.

Karthikeya would hesitate in dim light. He became uncomfortable and fearful in darker rooms. At first, we thought he was simply scared of the dark like many children his age. But as months passed, we realised it was much more than that.

Even during the daytime, inside our living room or hall, he struggled to see clearly unless the lights were very bright. Earlier, brighter lights seemed to help him manage better, but now even strong lighting is no longer enough for him to see comfortably.

We also noticed that his vision was not sharp. Sometimes, when two people stood in front of him, he could not recognize his own father or family members unless they spoke and he heard their voice. As parents, these moments quietly broke our hearts.

Doctors later explained that Karthikeya’s vision is also affected by severe tunnel vision. He can only see the object he is directly focusing on, while the surroundings remain unclear. Unlike most of us, who naturally notice objects around us through peripheral vision, Karthikeya’s world is becoming narrower every day. At times, he cannot even notice objects placed right in front of him until he directly looks toward them.

We went from one hospital to another, meeting specialists, doing scans, genetic testing, and desperately searching for answers while holding onto hope with all our strength.

Then came the diagnosis that shattered us.

Karthikeya has a rare inherited retinal disease caused by a mutation in the RPE65 gene. The doctors explained that this condition slowly damages the retina and can eventually lead to severe vision loss.

As a parent, there is no pain greater than knowing your child may not be able to see the world clearly… or even see your face one day.

But there is still hope…

A specialised gene therapy called Luxturna will preserve and improve Karthikeya’s eyesight. This treatment could give him the chance to experience life fully.

From seeing colours to recognising his loved ones, playing without fear, and living as every other child deserves to. 

But the treatment costs nearly ₹7 crore — an amount far beyond what our family can ever manage alone.

“I don’t want my child’s memories of this world to slowly fade into darkness before he has even begun living his life.” - Sai Bindhu, parent.

Today, we are reaching out with folded hands and hopeful hearts. Help us save our son’s vision. Each donation, no matter how small, brings Karthikeya one step closer to the life-changing treatment.

Your support, donation and share could help our little boy continue seeing the world he has only just begun to discover.

Be the miracle in my son’s life. Donate today.

How can you help him?

Donate to his treatment.

By donating, you help ensure that he receives the treatment that saves his life.

Share his story with your family and friends.

By sharing his story with your loved ones and friends, you will help to amplify his voice to those who care and are willing to donate.

Highlights:

• 3-year-old Karthikeya is slowly losing his eyesight because of a rare inherited retinal disease called RPE65-associated retinal dystrophy.
• His parents first noticed that he struggled to see in dim light and became fearful in darker places.
• Over time, his condition worsened. Today, he cannot see properly even in normal daylight inside living rooms or halls. He needs very bright lighting to recognize objects around him. Earlier, strong lights helped him see better, but now even that is becoming insufficient.
• His vision is also not sharp. He struggles to recognize his own parents when multiple people are standing in front of him unless they speak and he hears their voice.
• Karthikeya also suffers from tunnel vision. He can only see the object he is directly focusing on, while the surroundings remain unclear. Unlike a normal person who can naturally notice objects across a wide field of view, his peripheral vision is extremely limited. Sometimes, he cannot notice an object right in front of him until he directly looks at it.
• Without urgent treatment, his vision loss may continue to progress permanently.
• A life-changing gene therapy, Luxturna, costing around ₹7 crore, can help preserve and improve his vision.
• Your support can give Karthikeya a chance to see the world, recognize his loved ones, and live a brighter future.