“Many guys say we bring them back to life”: How rehabilitation helps Ukrainian soldiers who’ve lost their sight because of war

The veterans fondly call Olesia Perepechenko "Lesia Mykolaivna." She's the heart of the rehabilitation team, always knowing what to say and how to guide those who need her. Over time, each soldier that comes through the camp becomes like family to her. No veteran is a stranger, she says.

Olesia's own journey started when she lost her sight as a child. By age six, her vision had faded completely. Back then, society had two paths for people like her: disappear into the shadows or push forward and fight for a place in the world. Olesia chose the latter. She overcame her challenges and became a specialist working with blind people, eventually training as a physical and occupational therapist.

Her time in rehabilitation truly shifted her perspective. "I saw the potential — how you can live," says Olesia. "I saw that blind people can work, teach, and be active. That's when I knew I wanted to train." Now, she's a trainer and the executive director of the All-Ukrainian League of Organizations for People with Vision Disabilities, Contemporary View.

What's the problem?

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the number of people with vision impairments or blindness has soared — and it continues to rise. Unfortunately, the war highlighted the existing issues — Ukraine still struggles to keep track of the cases of people who've lost their sight and provide rehabilitation and employment. For example, no one even knows how many Ukrainian service members have lost their sight due to the war.

Rehabilitation is essential for helping veterans build a meaningful life after blindness. Yet Ukraine is critically short on specialists offering the comprehensive care they need.

"Medical professionals in hospitals aren't trained to work with blind people," says Olesia Perepechenko. "Few understand how to communicate, guide, or help them adapt to this new reality. There's so much work to be done here."

The lack of clear, honest communication also leaves many veterans without hope that they can recover and have a future or gives them false hope.

"There are doctors who promise, 'We'll treat you soon, and you'll see again.' The guys believe it completely, and it derails their adaptation. In reality, many doctors avoid saying the hard truth: 'You've lost your sight,'" says the Contemporary View leader. "Doctors want patients to come to the truth on their own. Some even cry when they deliver the news. Now we have veterans in rehabilitation who don't have eyes, yet they still say, 'The doctor said I'll see soon.' It's a defense mechanism. Some say, 'I'm going to spend two or three years doing nothing, just trying to will my sight back with my mind.' But they're wasting precious time."

What's the solution?

In this article, Rubryka explains that the faster soldiers start working with rehabilitation specialists after losing sight, the better their chances of adapting and building a new life. Early intervention can make all the difference.

"Everyone's path to recovery is different, and it's not just physical — it's deeply psychological," Olesia Perepechenko explains. "Some veterans go back into their old lives, pushing through without pause, but that approach often backfires. Others withdraw, unable to accept or make sense of their new reality. We lose them to despair — they start drinking, and it becomes nearly impossible to pull them back. So much depends on their surroundings. Do they have family there, or are they alone? Are there volunteers nearby who won't let them give up? Do they have the inner strength to keep going? A combination of these factors shapes how someone adapts after losing sight."

Since 2013, Contemporary View has been working to help people with vision impairments. In 2019, they launched the Life After War Must Go On project specifically for soldiers who lost sight, offering them a chance at rebuilding their lives.

"Our work doesn't end when the rehabilitation camp is over," says the Contemporary View director. "We start supporting these soldiers while they're still in the hospital and stay by their side long after. Hospitals now reach out to us, letting us know when they have a blind veteran who could use our help."

Besides the hands-on training, Contemporary View provides practical tools like canes to help veterans navigate. Usually, veterans can't get these canes without first obtaining disability certification, but they need them immediately just to get around the hospital. So, the team finds donors, buys the canes, and customizes them for each veteran.

The mission is simple yet profound: help veterans return to a full and independent life. They teach them how to live with blindness and give them the tools and knowledge to navigate this new reality.

How does it work?

When Contemporary View opened its first rehabilitation camp for soldiers in 2019, Olesia led the project and met the veterans head-on. The first day was nerve-wracking.

"My first meeting with the boys was in 2019. I was telling them how much we could accomplish together, but the room was silent," Olesia recalls. "I didn't feel their reaction. My hands were shaking; my legs felt weak. I tried to keep talking, asking questions, but they either stayed silent or gave these short, clipped responses."

By the third day, everything changed. The veterans began to open up, realizing they were in a safe space designed to help them. Olesia remembers one veteran in particular who hadn't even wanted to attend. His first words to her were, "What can you teach me, girl? But fine, I'll come for my wife's sake." But by the third day, he came up to Olena and said, "Mykolaivna, I'm sorry for what I said. It's only day three, and I already feel like a different person."

That veteran and several others later formed their own organization in the city of Berdiansk and planned to open a rehabilitation center. The war put their plans on hold — the southeastern city was occupied by Russian forces in 2022. Still, Olesia believes it's crucial for veterans to take what they've learned and help others in their communities.

"So many guys say we bring them back to life. Even though it's the doctors who saved them physically," says the nonprofit's leader. "They were treated and let go from the hospital, but after losing their sight, they say they felt dead inside. It's only during rehabilitation that they realize life can still go on."

Rehabilitation is different for everyone. Some adapt quickly, while it's a long, painful journey for others. Olesia recalls one veteran who was in such a dark place when she first met him that he was contemplating suicide. The doctors were at a loss, unsure how to help. The trainer decided to talk to him.

"You never know what you'll find when you walk into a room like that," she says. "But seeing where he is now… It's incredible. I'm so proud of him. It really shows that for rehabilitation to begin, the right person needs to step into their life at just the right moment."

Olesia says support is everything. It means being able to laugh with them, show up, talk, and help — not turning your back on them when they need it most. She also advises families to immediately seek out organizations that specialize in vision loss — find the experts, read, learn, and take those steps forward.

"What you absolutely shouldn't do is while away," says Olesia. "If you don't know what to do, seek out people who do. Yes, there's fear. The person's first steps are often shaky. Like a child learning to walk, they may stumble and fall. And they may stay down for a while."

Rehabilitation camps are often the first crucial step on a veteran's road to recovery. When Contemporary View launched its first camp in 2019, it combined its experience working with blind individuals with insights from successful programs abroad.

"We understood that people who lost their sight in childhood or had been living with vision loss for a long time are already partially adapted — that's one group, but soldiers who lose their sight in war are a different story. They need a different approach," says NGO leader Olesia Perepechenko.

The nonprofit's team studied rehabilitation models from around the world, researching how centers function in different countries, how people are referred for rehabilitation, and what's being done globally in the field. Instead of copying these methods, they tailored them to meet the unique needs and challenges faced by Ukrainian veterans. That's how they developed their own comprehensive rehabilitation program. 

While developing the program, Olesia realized that veterans should attend with a loved one — whether a spouse, a parent, or someone living with them. Israel's rehabilitation practices inspired this aspect of the program.

"There, both the person who lost their sight and their supporter attend rehabilitation. They both need to learn and adapt," says Olesia. At the camps, participants work with psychologists individually and in group sessions with their family members.

Before the camps begin, the team thoroughly reviews each veteran's medical records. "Every injury is different," Olesia Perepechenko explains. "Some veterans may also have lost limbs, and that requires a completely different approach to rehabilitation."

The team starts with assessments and conversations with each veteran to develop a personalized program. One soldier might need psychological support, while another may be ready for physical therapy. The program also takes into account whether it's the veteran's first rehabilitation after the hospital or if they've been through this process before.

Once the camp begins, each veteran follows their own tailored plan for two weeks, packed with five to seven activities each day. After every three to four days of intense rehabilitation, they get a day off to rest and reflect on everything they've learned. The camp is designed to be as effective as possible, focusing on both mental and physical recovery.

The camp's physical rehabilitation includes exercises ranging from morning stretches and gym workouts to hiking and Nordic walking. Veterans learn to regain control of their bodies and develop new strengths through a variety of activities, each customized to accommodate their injuries. 

Rehabilitation, however, is more than just physical recovery. Veterans also learn essential skills for daily living — how to use computers and phones, dial numbers, and navigate screen reader programs. The team creates a special Telegram group at the start of each camp and teaches the veterans how to use it so they can read schedules and respond to messages on their own.

One of the most critical lessons is spatial orientation and sensory development. Veterans learn to move confidently in their surroundings, building comfort and independence in a controlled and supportive environment.

An essential part of the camp is teaching veterans everyday skills like self-care and personal grooming. Participants also engage in activities like legal training, learning Braille, and even dance movement therapy.

"One time, we had a young couple visit us. The veteran had lost hope for recovery. They came as boyfriend and girlfriend, and a few months later, they got married. During our rehabilitation, they even had a baby. I always joke — look how beneficial our rehab is!" Olesia laughs.

The Contemporary View team is fully mobile, allowing them to host camps anywhere in Ukraine, tailored to the veterans' needs and rehabilitation stage. The first phase usually takes place outside the city — the NGO rents a rehabilitation center or hotel with a peaceful space where veterans can focus without the overwhelming noise of urban life.

"When you lose your sight, you rely so much on sound to make sense of the world," says Olesia. "Why don't our veterans want to go to a market with their wives? It's sensory overload. It's a chaotic mess of shouting, music, and traffic. It's disorienting and frustrating when you can't see where all that noise is coming from. So, we start the early phases of rehab far from the city."

Once veterans are more comfortable, they move to the next phase—heading into the city to practice mobility and orientation. Here, they confront their psychological barriers and fears, learning to navigate sidewalks, enter public transportation, and navigate stores — all under the guidance of mentors.

"We do this so veterans can confidently ask for help in a shop, pay at the checkout, and use modern tools like contactless cards or phones," expert Olesia Perepechenko adds.

After the camps, the organization assembles interdisciplinary teams that visit veterans in their homes to reinforce what they've learned and assist family members who couldn't attend the camps. This ongoing support means that veterans never feel abandoned after rehabilitation ends. The team continues to offer help and guidance, even for those who've moved abroad, staying in touch through online channels.

Over 160 veterans have received rehabilitation and support through the Contemporary View initiative. Olesia jokes that once someone joins them, they never truly leave — the team stays connected, always ready to lend a hand. "They've become more independent. Some fears remain, but they no longer feel trapped in their own bodies. The next step for them is living a full life — finding jobs, starting families, meeting friends, and pursuing further education," says the nonprofit leader.