A charity focussed on giving back sight to the prematurely blind has been stunned by the generosity of Sydney Anglicans.

The Christian Blind Mission says the Anglican response to its 10,000 Miracles appeal, combined with other groups, has far exceeded all expectations.

CBMI had hoped to raise enough money to carry out 10,000 cataract operations to reverse blindness in the third world.

But the charity now has cash in hand for almost five times that number.

"We are stunned," said John Jeffries, National Director of CBMI. "We were praying for 10,000 miracles, but people have given well over 40,000."

Australians donated 48,112 operations at a cost of $27 each to children and adults with cataract blindness in developing countries.

The outcome comes close to tripling last year's result according to charity spokesperson Sonya Burggraaf.

She believes people responded to the simplicity of the idea " for less than the price of a CD they could give someone the ability to see.

"It takes 15 minutes to do the operation, so one morning the person's blind, they have a 15-minute operation, then after getting the bandages off they can see again," Ms Burggraaf says.

"People probably really grasp the miracle that takes place when someone goes from total blindness to perfect vision."

CBMI says it plans to run the Miracles appeal again in October 2005 but with a goal that better takes into account the nation's generosity.

Ernie and Glenys Sigley, patrons of the 10,000 Miracles appeal, are still taking in the enormity of what has been achieved.

"Somewhere a little girl will open her eyes to see her mum for the first time this Christmas. What a gift! What a miracle!" Mr Sigley says.