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Systemic approach urged for eye care philanthropy
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CHICAGO – Optometrists and others involved in vision care outreach joined together here in conjunction with the World Council of Optometry meeting to discuss how to better coordinate their efforts.
The panel discussion was sponsored by Alcon Laboratories.
“We support more than 700 medical missions with product donations every year, and we give $60 million as well,” Alcon’s Sandra Woodward told attendees. “We know everyone doesn’t know each other and what’s going on. We need to develop a more systematic approach. We can have better patient care, a better referral system, better follow-up.
“That means looking at the fundamentals of what abilities make up a local area,” Ms. Woodward continued. “We need more eye care professionals. It involves training. It means creating facilities – some place for patients to go that will continue to be there. Logistics. We have to have a supply chain. There are also some barriers to patients. Affordability, access, awareness. In some markets they exist; some do not; different pieces are strong.”
C. Ellis Potter, OD, president of Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (VOSH), said the organization is “moving in a new direction.”
“We’re stressing sustainable clinics and services,” he said. “We’re reassessing the previous modes of delivery. We’re collaborating, cooperating and partnering to help the development of eye care in new and productive ways.”
Kevin Hassey, president of VisionSpring, said his group is also focusing on sustainable eye care.
“We open clinics throughout the world in challenging areas, work to keep them open 365 days a year and try to run them in a way that the revenues and costs balance out and we can commit to keep them there on a long-term basis,” he said.
Greg Pearl, OD, a private practitioner from Los Angeles and past president of VOSH, said, “A few years ago, VOSH decided we would move from our normal relief work in providing used eyeglasses to try to work towards development issues.
“We’re trying to move our chapters forward to dispense new products vs. used products,” he said. “We are also exploring new technologies to make glasses in the field. We think we can dispense a customized spherocylinder prescription in the field in the $5 range. That’s the Holy Grail of dispensing care.”
Phillip Ortiz, OD, of I Care International, said his organization currently provides care in Latin America and locally. “As of 2011, I Care completed 68 missions,” he said. “Several missions included surgical and audiology services.
“We do local things to make the community aware we want to help our own people as well,” he added.
Dave McPhillips, OD, vice president of VOSH, said VOSH Pennsylvania is currently working on a project in Haiti.
“Our goals are to collaborate,” he said. “VOSH Pennsylvania is an example of this paradigm shift. We want to help establish and support sustainable programs.”
VOSH Pennsylvania just completed the building of a new clinic in Cap Haitien, the second largest city in Haiti. “This will be a full dispensary,” he said. “Lenses will be fabricated.”
Dr. McPhillips said there are no optometrists in Haiti. “They don’t have a tech program; the ophthalmologists aren’t well trained in refraction,” he said. “The largest need to help prevent blindness is refractive error.”
Prof. Kovin Naidoo, global programs director for International Centre for Eyecare Education (ICEE), stressed the need to understand the people you are trying to help.
“The working poor are people who earn money, go in and out of poverty; that group has to be dealt with differently,” he said. “The bottom of the pyramid is taken care of by governments. The middle to upper class should be able to access services.”
He urged the promotion of local empowerment and ownership. “An exit strategy doesn’t mean no relationships, but means predominant transfer of responsibility to local entities,” he said.
“One size does not fit all for this world,” Prof. Naidoo continued. “We need to understand their health systems and support the development of them.”
He said volunteerism must be looked at differently.
“It’s not just about eye camps; it’s about mentoring and sharing skills,” he said. “You get access to new data. There are a lot of young people who are more than willing to spend a year teaching. We need to galvanize that volunteer support.”
Prof. Naidoo said children partaking of school screenings can become ambassadors for eye care. “We screen them at school, give them glasses and send them home with notes on eye care for their parents to learn about,” he said.
“Volunteerism must be seen as a partnership rather than just helping,” he continued. “It’s an expression of common humanity.”
Prof. Naidoo was a student leader during the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa. “I used to say, ‘The liberation of our people will not be attained by the immense sacrifice of a few people, but by the humble sacrifices of the majority.’"
“If you have a family and can’t travel, you can raise funds for Optometry Giving Sight,” he added. “There’s a role for everyone to make a contribution.”