Country funded projects
Optometry Giving Sight in Australia has agreed to fund projects in refractive error in East Timor and Sri Lanka as their priorities for 2006. Andrew Koch, a Tasmanian ProVision optometrist. has been volunteering in East Timor since 2001. On a recent visit he met Feliciano.
"Feliciano Ximenes, aged 70, journeyed to our eye clinic from a remote rural village. He had significant visual impairment and high refractive error. The moment I put glasses on his face he exclaimed:
Before I was dead, I had no life. Thank you!
I have not been able to see for a long time,
I am happy, now I am content.’
(F. Ximenes, translated by interpreter)
Andrew, said "This was a moment of beauty and pleasure that was shared with everyone within earshot!"
Queensland Optometrist ‘Giving Sight’ in Sri Lanka
Queensland optometrist Bob Lees spent two weeks in Sri Lanka providing eye care to tsunami victims and other communities in need who would not otherwise receive eye care.
Bob joined three other optometrists from Melbourne and Perth on the mission, organized by the International Centre for Eyecare Education (ICEE) and partly funded by Optometry Giving Sight (Optometry Giving Sight). The Team worked in conjunction with local health workers who are being trained to continue the program after the current visits cease. The team saw almost 2,500 people and provided 2,400 pairs of spectacles over the two weeks.
Bob talks about the time that 430 patients turned up in one day to Trincomalee, and all were seen. “The local organizer came to me very concerned we could have a riot if we had to turn 100 people away. We assured him we would stay as long as necessary, which relieved him greatly.”
Bob was extremely enthusiastic about his visit and felt it had been one of the most rewarding experiences of his life. He said that “even though we had seen many photos and TV clips on the tsunami, we were amazed by the destruction that had taken place.” He said he is very pleased to see that the program is helping to train staff in Sri Lanka as there are already a team of young Sri Lankans who are showing exceptional promise.
