Why was YouTuber slammed for blind surgery video?

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MrBeast

The world’s most popular YouTuber has responded to criticism following a video of him funding several life-changing operations.

In the post, MrBeast reveals that he paid for cataract surgery to restore sight to a thousand people.

But the clip, which has over 71 million views, has divided opinion, with some calling it “charity porn”.

Real name Jimmy Donaldson, 24, tweeted in response to suggestions that the video was made solely for financial gain, saying “the average MrBeast video lost $1,500,000 last year.”

He also claimed the video had “raised awareness”.

MrBeast, who has 131 million subscribers and recently became the most popular YouTuber in the world, initially said he didn’t expect so many people to watch the video.

As more people watched the video, there were questions and concerns about the cost and inaccessibility of eye surgery in some parts of the world.

Some people have also suggested that wealthy influencers shouldn’t be used to try to address broader issues in society and health care.

But not everyone agrees, with some praise for its awareness.

Andrew Hodgson, chairman of the UK’s National Federation of the Blind, told BBC Newsbeat: “Anything that shines a light on treatable eye conditions such as cataracts and provides funding for people to have surgery to restore their sight should be welcomed.

“Why would anyone criticize this work and publicize it through movies and social media?”

A spokeswoman for Sightsavers, an international charity, added that they were “encouraged to see the topic of the global burden of eye health being brought to a wide audience”.

“Eye health is often a forgotten topic when it comes to global health conversations, but eye health is synonymous with opportunity, enabling children to learn and adults to earn a living,” they said. added.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn-R5toJVo3/

One Twitter user notes that “the fact that it took charity for these people to get help highlights the problem.”

But another user said that “paying for 1000 blind people to have eye surgery is a great thing to do, but using this act of generosity in content turns it into a cheesy, tasteless act of charity porn.”

The story continues

Dr Jeff Levinson, the surgeon who worked for the social media star, says in the video “half of all blindness cases in the world are people who need 10 minute surgery “.

MrBeast is known for his videos featuring huge cash giveaways and prizes, as well as charity work.

In 2021, he launched a separate philanthropy-themed YouTube channel, which itself has over 10 million subscribers, and he has a licensed charity that operates as a food bank to feed communities across United States.

MrBeast also gave gifts such as a Tesla and cash to some patients

More than two million people live with vision loss in the UK, 340,000 of whom are registered as blind or partially sighted, according to the NHS.

In the event that an individual’s quality of life is affected by their declining eyesight, the NHS provides assessment and surgery if and whenever needed.

The Royal College of Optometrists reported that in the UK just under 44,000 cataract procedures were performed in a single month in 2021.

Despite the mixed response, MrBeast’s impact on those who have had surgery can be seen in the emotional reaction of those he has helped.

“I didn’t think I would ever see her again,” said a patient who had previously been a cashier but was forced to stop working when his vision loss became so advanced.

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