“Indeed, I Am Special”: An Exploration of Severe Myopia and Experiences of Marginalisation in Rural South African Classrooms

Hlabathi Rebecca Maapola- Thobejane*

This poetic autoethnographic study explored the lived experiences of a rural South African girl with severe myopia as she navigates structural, social, and emotional challenges in the classroom. Radiological and ophthalmological imaging, particularly fundus photography, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and ultrasound, play a central role in the diagnosis, monitoring, and management of severe myopia. However, in rural and disadvantaged schools, access to such imaging and timely intervention is rare, leaving learners vulnerable not only to progressive vision loss but also to educational exclusion. Through six poetic vignettes, the study shows ongoing gaps between inclusive education policies and the realities of rural classrooms where access to vision screening, corrective lenses, and teacher training is limited. Drawing on Medical Humanities, African feminist pedagogy, and intersectionality, the study reveals three key findings: learning with severe myopia is both embodied and socially situated; inclusion is a relational and ethical process; and experiences of marginalization due to severe myopia are structured by intersecting systemic forces. Although peer collaboration, bodily adjustments, reliance on hearing, and narrative reclamation are highlighted as coping strategies for learners with severe myopia, the study presents implications of the study and recommendations for future research. 

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Published on: Nov 25, 2025 Pages: 14-24

Full Text PDF Full Text HTML DOI: 10.17352/ijrro.000056
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