Robbed of Sight, but Spirit Unbroken: An Iranian Protester's Resilience

During Iran's 2019 anti-government protests, Mohammad Hossein Erfan, 28, lost an eye and a half to a security forces' pellets.

He returned to the streets during the 2022 demonstrations, where he was beaten, but ultimately succumbed to his older wounds.

"How much are your eyes worth? In my country, anything exquisite carries the price of a life," he wrote on images of his eyes posted on Instagram after the protests, which were sparked by a sudden fuel price rise in November 2019.

He lost his left eye on November 17, 2019, amidst chaos and violence, and his right eye retained only 30 percent vision. With impaired vision, he witnessed four years more of suffering without being silenced.

The day Erfan was hurt, his family had bought him a wedding dress. The streets were teeming with protesters facing off against the riot squad in Karaj, near Tehran, amid the cold of November.

With the internet scarce and fear gripping the nation, protesters stood firm. The riot squad showed no restraint, wielding weapons against Iran's citizens, including Erfan.

Confronted by a police officer with a shotgun aimed at his face, Erfan dared to defy. Pellets tore through his eyes, face, hands, and body.

Strangers carried an injured Erfan to a shelter provided by a sympathetic family. But hospitals in Karaj or Shahriar refused to accept him, and even Tehran's Noor Hospital declined by citing "security concerns."

His rescuers were forced to seek treatment at Tehran's Farabi Hospital, where Erfan was coerced into signing a false confession, blaming "rioters and thugs" for his injuries. Blind, helpless, unaware of the deception, he complied. 

After numerous surgeries, he realized the extent of his losses. Four bullets had irreparably damaged his left eye while the other one clung to a mere 30 percent of vision.

He endured for four years and 94 days, struggling with despair. Each day, as his vision deteriorated further, he mourned silently, refusing to burden others with pity.

As night descended, the darkness left him disoriented. Every November 17 was a reminder of the price he paid for defiance — a young man confined to his home, robbed of the joys of driving, riding motorcycles, or painting, which he used to enjoy earlier.

Erfan revisited the site of his trauma countless times, grappling with the desire for justice against the fear of endangering his loved ones. Yet, he harbored no regrets over his actions.

Erfan's untimely demise has left his family of four siblings in grave mourning. The youth was robbed of his sight at 24, and at 28, he succumbed to the effects of the direct firing on his eyes.

Due to his eyes being infected for years, he had to continuously struggle for treatment, marked by antibiotics, soothing drops, and a litany of medications.

Although he remained steadfast in his role in protests, stress and grief unleashed ailments upon his body, including diabetes.

Medical records from his initial hospital visits post-injury revealed no trace of the disease, yet four years later, he had disbetes.

One winter night, wracked with excruciating eye pain and the resurgence of infection, Erfan was rushed to the hospital.

Newly diagnosed with diabetes, his blood sugar had spiraled out of control, culminating in a harrowing scene — blood streaming from his nose and mouth.

Dr. Roozbeh Esfandiari, a doctor and researcher, delved into Erfan's case during an interview with IranWire and shedded light on the intricate relationship between stress and diabetes.

He explained, "Two factors are highly plausible: Anxiety and stress can elevate blood sugar levels. When the body experiences stress, it releases substances like glucagon or epinephrine, which spike blood sugar levels."

One winter night, wracked with excruciating eye pain and the resurgence of infection, Erfan was rushed to the hospital.

Newly diagnosed with diabetes, his blood sugar had spiraled out of control, culminating in a harrowing scene — blood streaming from his nose and mouth.

Dr. Roozbeh Esfandiari, a doctor and researcher, delved into Erfan's case during an interview with IranWire and shedded light on the intricate relationship between stress and diabetes.

He explained, "Two factors are highly plausible: Anxiety and stress can elevate blood sugar levels. When the body experiences stress, it releases substances like glucagon or epinephrine, which spike blood sugar levels."

Referring to Erfan's suffering, he said, "Consider a person enduring severe trauma for four years, grappling with its psychological toll; the resulting stress likely surged these hormones, leading to elevated blood sugar levels."

"Another factor to consider is the use of corticosteroid eye drops to reduce inflammation from eye trauma, such as pellet wounds. A known long-term side effect of corticosteroids, whether oral or in eye drop form, is diabetes," he noted.

Reviewing Erfan's medical records, Dr. Esfandiari said, "In Mohammad Hossein Erfan's medical records, it's noted that he was hospitalized with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and necrotizing pneumonia."

Erfan had bravely joined the 2022-23 Woman, Life, Freedom movement, navigating the streets with the aid of friends despite his impaired vision. 

In this protest, he escaped pellets but fell victim to brutal beatings by security forces, enduring another harrowing chapter in another bloody November.