Screening day 1

Checking the ocular health

Today marked the start of World Sight Week. Thursday the 11^th is World Sight Day when eye care professionals all over the world will be taking part in awareness and fundraising activities. As part of Vision 2020 initiative we decided to host a week of screening days in areas in and around Mzuzu.

Queuing for the first room

Checking VA and preliminary tests

Today we left for Chikangawa, a village about 1 hour south of Mzuzu. Here Francois, Rowan and James had done trojan work over the past few weeks recruiting people with genuine eye concerns so  that we could see the people who really needed it. Our screening rooms were set up in 3 classrooms at Chikangawa primary school. Here the teachers had selected the students they felt that would benefit most from the screening. 

In total we saw approx 300 people, 30 of these were referred to the hospital for cataract removal, low vision services or suspected glaucoma among other conditions.Approx 200 pairs of glasses were distributed for free and it further cemented how happy and grateful people here are. Teachers can now see to correct papers, students can see the board and people who thought they were just going blind are being given a ray of hope by being told that cataract surgery can restore their sight.

Who will benefit from glasses?

Seeing who needs to go to the refracton station

3/4 of team awesome with a very grateful principal and school coordinator

It was a tiring, 12 hour day that involved coordinating 23 students and 7 adults and my very first matola but as my first ever vision screening it is a day I won’t forget in a hurry. Next up, Enukweni and a primary school with 1,200 pupils!

"The eyes have one language everywhere." - George Herbert