A disease called trachoma has turned his eyelids inwards, causing his eyelashes to scar his corneas so badly that one has already turned opaque.
He has been mostly bound to his home in the small village of Asano, around 100 kilometres (60 miles) from Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa.
“Each time it flares up, I rip out my lashes to ease the pain,“ he added.
Trachoma is caused by infection with the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, which is spread through contact with the eyes or nose of infected people.
- Two million blinded -
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), trachoma is “hyperendemic in many of the poorest and most rural areas” of the world, and Africa is the most affected continent.
Despite being in pain since childhood, Scheicho was initially reticent to undergo surgery -- which involves cutting into his eyelids and rotating the eyelashes away from his cornea -- since this had not improved his mother's condition.
The NGO has sought to inform “the community and patients to take care of their personal hygiene... a very important point to prevent trachoma”, Gizachew said.
That is not easy for this rural community, which is a three-hour walk to the nearest river and shares water with livestock.
The charity is working on improving access to clean water, and uses loudspeakers in markets in Butajira, the region's biggest town, to urge people to get tested for trachoma.
He finally went under the knife in a small health centre without electricity in Asano, during AFP's visit.
“It is hard to cut,“ the ophthalmologist said.
“I feel better,“ a groggy Scheicho managed afterwards.
In Ethiopia, it could be possible to minimise the disease but “we will not eradicate” it until “people’s standard of living” improves, Gizachew said.
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