Horace Bryce Undergoes Eye Surgeries in Belize and Guatemala

Musician, Horace Bryce needed to undergo urgent eye surgery in Guatemala recently.  Today, he underwent another optical procedure at the Belize Council for the Visually Impaired (B.C.V.I). Bryce had implored the public’s assistance to be able to cover the cost of surgery in Guatemala and Belize High School student, Dmitri Arguelles came through to donate the entire five thousand dollars. Today News Five was at the B.C.V.I as Bryce underwent the second surgery on his eye. Upon his exit from the operating room, Marion Ali spoke with him and filed this report.

Horace Bryce

Horace Bryce, Diabetes Patient (File: August 25, 2023)

“In 2022, I was diagnosed with diabetes and when I was diagnosed with this disease, I realized that it had not only cost me my leg, but it has messed around with my vision.”

Marion Ali, Reporting

It wasn’t long ago when Horace Bryce shared his plight with us. Back in August, he needed to undergo surgeries to repair both eyes that had been damaged by the effects of diabetes. Unable to perform his musical pieces for public audiences meant he had no income, and no means of paying for those procedures. So Bryce made a public appeal for help and one week later, Dmitri Arguelles, a sophomore at Belize High School, emptied his savings and donated all to Bryce’s cause.

Dmitri Arguelles

Dmitri Arguelles, Good Samaritan (File – September 1, 2023)

“I’d rather use my money to help somebody who really needs it than to slightly improve my life. I hope Mr. Bryce does well. I hope that his procedure goes good. Hopefully, he comes back with his vision.”

Today, Bryce underwent part two surgeries at the Belize Council for the Visually Impaired. Dr Zac Koshy, an ophthalmologist from Glasgow, performed the vitrectomy.

Zac Koshy

Dr. Zac Koshy, Consultant Ophthalmologist
“You met Mr. Horace right down there. He’s probably one of the most difficult operations I have done in my all life. And for us to have been able to do that with the setup and the trained staff here, for me now, now proves that this can be done. There is this option for treatment in the form of laser treatment, which stabilizes the disease, and that has happened to a number of people, but unfortunately, there are people who will continue to progress and reach more difficult types off disease status, which is when they require the kind of surgery that we are doing right now, and that requires a lot of specialist equipment.”

Bryce’s surgery today came one week after his return from Guatemala, where he had the first surgery done, with the funds that Arguelles provided. He told us how.

Horace Bryce

Horace Bryce, Diabetes Patient

“Pretty much is the same procedure that they did in Guatemala. They did here. This one was a little bit advanced on my right eye because they had to do three procedures on this right eye, you know. They attached the retina back and they took out the blood and also the cataract, so for me, this one is a little bit more advanced than the one in Guatemala. The one in Guatemala on my left eye was to remove the blood that was overpowering the vision. So for me, it was an experience in Guatemala as well, you know, so I am pretty much okay with everything that happened here today.”

Bryce will take a month to recuperate and hopes that he’ll be able to work thereafter. Marion Ali for News Five.