Watch the moment a 14-year-old blind girl sees for the first time

14-year-old Rose had no vision since she was a baby

This is the moment Rose regained her sight after 14 years of being blind.

The 14-year-old girl from Malawi underwent surgery to remove her cataracts, having had no vision since she was a baby.

The footage was recorded as part of Channel 4's Unreported World: Fight for Sight, which aired in October.

Rose sees for the first time (Unreported World / Channel 4)

Despite her lack of sight, Rose was desperate to go to school with her friends in order to learn how to read and write. Such an ambition remained very unlikely until a blindness charity reached the area of Malawai where Rose lives.

Sightsavers, a charity that aims to eliminate avoidable blindness, facilitated Rose's examination by an ophthalmic clinical officer that Unreported World had been following.

Despite Rose being 97 per cent blind, there was hope after her pupils reacted to light being shone in them.

50,000

In Malawi, 50,000 people can't afford surgery to reverse their blindness

In the UK, childhood cataracts like Rose's can be detected early and treated. In Malawi, 160,000 people have bad vision due to cataracts, while 50,000 are blind because they cannot afford the surgery.

Rose was driven to the surgery along with other children who could not afford to reach the hospital.

Friend: "What do you see, Rose?", Rose: "I need a haircut." (Unreported World / Channel 4)

Her surgery was conducted by the only surgeon in Malawi who could perform the surgery on a child. Once under anaestheitc, Rose's damaged lenses are replaced with synthetic ones.

The next day she is filmed seeing fully for the first time. Her doctor is hopeful that her vision will improve day by day.