Eyes trained on Honduras
Local efforts to boost eye care for the poorest residents of poverty-stricken Tegucigalpa, Honduras continue.
Dr. Michelle Elliott and Matthew Elliott of Spectrum Optometry, supported by the Rotary Club of White Rock, returned to the Zoe Health Clinic in December to provide education and training for optometrists and opticians.
The clinic provides low-cost, or free, eye-care services to underprivileged area residents, however, opportunities for education in optics is limited, Michelle Elliott said.
Since December 2008, the Honduras Eyecare Project team has been working to fill that need. Each trip, they also bring donations of used glasses for their Honduras patients. In 2010, they helped deliver a $30,000 YAG Laser to the clinic, made possible by the Rotary Club of White Rock, a matching grant, individual donations and a manufacturer's discount. The equipment is used to permanently restore vision to people who are experiencing clouding, a common complication of cataract surgery.
This past December, the cache of donations also included new frames, lens blanks, batteries and bulbs for optometry equipment.
Michelle Elliott said it has been "encouraging" to see their peers at the Tegucigalpa clinic using information shared during previous visits, and to watch them build on each year's training.
"This is a sustainable way of raising the level of eye care in Honduras that has impact everyday of the year," she said in a prepared statement.
According to Spectrum's Facebook page, $500,000 of refurbished medical equipment was donated to the Zoe Health Clinics, with help from Spectrum, the Rotary Club of White Rock, Rotary Club of Tegucigalpa and Project CURE.
COMMENTS
Let's keep comments:
We ask that all participants own their words by logging in with their Facebook account. It's a simple process that will take seconds and helps keep our comments free of trolls, cranks, and “drive-by” commenters.
We reserve the right to remove comments from anyone using screen names, pseudonyms or false identities. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.