Vatican City, Mar 30, 2018 / 08:28 am
During a customary visit to a prison on Holy Thursday, Pope Francis revealed that he has cataracts and is planning to have an eye operation to correct them next year.
The head of Regina Coeli prison in Rome made a comment during the visit about the importance of being "far-sighted" about prisoners' rehabilitation.
Pope Francis responded, "This is good. Because at my age, for example, cataracts arrive and one does not see reality well. Next year, we will have to have an operation."
He encouraged the inmates to have clear eyes – what he called "cataract surgery for the soul" – in order to see and spread hope.