YouTube star MrBeast helps 1,000 blind people see again by sponsoring cataract surgeries

YouTube superstar MrBeast is making the world clearer -- for at least 1,000 people.
The content creator's latest stunt is paying for cataract removal for 1,000 people who were blind or near-blind but could not afford the surgery.
"We're curing a thousand people's blindness," says MrBeast -- real name Jimmy Donaldson -- in the Saturday video, which reached over 32 million views as of Sunday afternoon.
The video features touching before-and-after footage of patients seeing with clear vision after finishing the surgery. The YouTuber also gave cash donations and other gifts to some of the participants.
Jeff Levenson, an ophthalmologist and surgeon, worked with Donaldson to perform the first round of surgeries in Jacksonville, Florida. Levenson has coordinated the "Gift of Sight" program for over 20 years, which provides free cataract surgery for uninsured patients who are legally blind due to cataracts.
"Half of all blindness in the world is people who need a 10-minute surgery," Levenson says in the video, referring to the cataract removal surgery.
Levenson explained to CNN he became inspired to help people access cataract surgery after undergoing his own cataract correction surgery.
"In the days and weeks after my own cataract surgery, I was stunned by how bright and beautiful and vivid the world was," he said. "But I was shocked by the idea that there are hundreds of millions, probably 200 million people around the world, who are blind or nearly blind from cataracts and who don't have access to the surgery."
Levenson got a call from a member of Donaldson's team in September. "I had never heard of MrBeast," he said. "So I almost hung up. But I gratefully did not hang up."
They started by calling homeless shelters and free clinics to create a list of patients in the Jacksonville area who needed cataract surgery but could not afford it. Eventually, they had a group of 40 patients -- and Levenson performed all of their surgeries in a single day, starting at 7 a.m. and ending at 6 p.m.
Levenson said that patients were in "disbelief that somebody would actually seek them out to to rescue them from blindness, and then have the kindness and generosity of spirit to offer the surgery."
The ophthalmologist also connected Donaldson's team with SEE International, for which he serves as the chief medical officer. The nonprofit provides free eyecare around the world to patients in need. The organization helped Donaldson reach even more patients, for a total of 1,000 surgeries completed around three weeks. The video shows patients receiving the surgery in Jamaica, Honduras, Namibia, Mexico, Indonesia, Brazil, Vietnam and Kenya.
Levenson said he hopes the video and Donaldson's generosity inspire "a concerted effort to end needless blindness."
"If MrBeast can light a fire, and if we can get governmental and private support behind it, we can end half of all the blindness in the world," he said. "Without all that much cost, and with incredible gains in human productivity and human potential."
RISKIN REPORTS
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Police identify two of eight migrants pulled from water near Akwesasne, Que.
The Akwesasne Mohawk Police identified two of the eight migrants whose bodies were pulled from the St. Lawrence River earlier this week, but said Saturday they're still searching for a local resident whose boat was found near the victims.

Hungry iguana bites and infects toddler with rare bacterial infection before snatching her cake
A rare infection with tuberculosis-like symptoms was reported in a toddler after an iguana bit her before snatching away a slice of cake on a trip to Costa Rica.
W5 investigates | Priest, neighbours issue plea for help for struggling international students in Cape Breton
Cape Breton University has more than doubled in size by enrolling thousands of international students, and critics say the campus and community weren't ready. Watch the documentary 'Cash Cow' on CTV W5, Saturday at 7 p.m.
Interim RCMP commissioner Duheme 'very concerned' about foreign interference
As questions continue to swirl around the issue of other countries' meddling in Canadian affairs, interim RCMP Commissioner Michael Duheme says he's 'very, very concerned' about foreign interference, and would like to see the national force be able to use intelligence as evidence in its investigations.
Migrant bodies in St. Lawrence 'heartbreaking' but 'predictable,' advocate says
After the bodies of several people were discovered in the St. Lawrence River, who authorities say were likely trying to cross illegally into the U.S., a migrant advocate is questioning why people are fleeing Canada.
April storms bring May norms: Weather Network’s seasonal forecast
The latest seasonal outlook from The Weather Network shows early April will continue to be chilly with flip-flopping temperatures bringing above and below the usual levels of precipitation seen around this time.
At least 26 dead after tornadoes rake U.S. Midwest, South
Storms that dropped possibly dozens of tornadoes killed at least 26 people in small towns and big cities across the South and Midwest, tearing a path through the Arkansas capital, collapsing the roof of a packed concert venue in Illinois, and stunning people throughout the region Saturday with the damage's scope.
A glass of wine or beer per day is fine for your health: new study
A new Canadian study of 4.8 million people says a daily alcoholic drink isn't likely to send anyone to an early grave, nor will it offer any of the health benefits touted by previous studies, even if it is organic red wine.
Federal minimum wage, taxes on alcohol: Here's what's changing in Canada April 1
The federal minimum wage is increasing from $15.55 per hour to $16.65, and taxes are going up on gas and alcohol nationwide starting April 1.