Hospital releases 6-year-old after surgery to implant cosmetic eyes

Guo Bin was all smiles and said he had no fear of returning to his hometown, where his eyes had been gouged out in August.

The tragedy that struck the 6-year-old boy shocked the nation, and what the boy will face is sheer darkness — he is aware that he will never be able to see.

Guo was discharged on Thursday from the Shenzhen hospital where he received implant surgery that fitted him with cosmetic eyes.

Welcoming the boy and his parents back in Fenxi county, Shanxi province, will be many good Samaritans.

Wang Baocheng, principal of Taiyuan School for Blind Children, said on Thursday night that the school will definitely admit Guo.

"We welcome him. The schooling will be totally free," Wang said.

"But I think he needs to take some time off to recover physically and psychologically. He needs transitional time," Wang told China Daily.

The school is four hours from Guo’s home by bus.

The school is the choice of Guo’s parents, who contacted the Disabled Persons’ Federation of Shanxi, for help.

Hou Wei, director of the education and employment department of the federation, is lending a hand too.

"We will help based on what Guo needs," Hou said.

The federation has a program to support children from poor families that Guo can apply for, Hou said.

The boy was attacked on Aug 24 by his aunt, who police said later killed herself. He was discovered lying in a field after a five-hour search with his face covered with blood. The motivation for the attack remains a mystery.

During his stay in the C-MER (Shenzhen) Dennis Lam Eye Hospital, Guo remained strong, hospital workers said.

At a news conference that saw the boy off, he performed a dance that he had performed on Children’s Day with other children in his school before the tragedy.

Nurses said that Guo loves the song and performed the dance many times during his three-month stay. He enjoys music and rhythm, but is shy to talk with strangers, they said.

An evaluation from the hospital said that Guo has grown taller and gained weight, and has been more active.

He will return to Shenzhen to test out navigation sensors that gather information via the forehead and tongue of the visually impaired and sends the electronic data to their brain.

The device has helped some people better perceive their environment, said Dennis Lam Shun-chiu, an eye doctor from Hong Kong and founder of the hospital.

Guo’s mother, Wang Wenli, said that she appreciated the care and efforts from the hospital and residents from Shenzhen.

"I am glad to see Bin Bin has become so strong in Shenzhen," she said with tears.

Lam said that the boy has regained his confidence.

"His recovery went very well. Now the boy looks like a normal child from his appearance. He likes to dance and sing, and is able to live and walk on his own in a familiar environment," Lam said.

Lam gave the boy a book about Nick Vujicic, an Australian motivational speaker without four limbs, to encourage him to face difficulties with great courage.