Eleven impoverished patients from the Myanmar border town of Muse have regained their vision after receiving free eye surgery from Chinese doctors through a bilateral friendship program.

Supported by the Ruili-Muse International Friendship and Vision Restoration Project, the patients were admitted to Ruili People's Hospital in southwest China's Yunnan Province on May 24.

Six people have had surgery for cataract extraction and five for pterygium excision. All have recovered and been discharged from the hospital.

San Meng, chairman of the Ruili municipal committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, visited the patients before they left. "China is willing to offer help to those on the border in Myanmar with eye problems who can not afford medical treatment," San said.

The vision restoration program, initiated in February 2018, is sponsored by the committee as well as Ruili's health department and donations from Chinese businesses.

The program has helped 25 Myanmar patients recover vision.