February is Low Vision Awareness Month

An estimated 196 million people have age-related macular degeneration and low vision worldwide.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), is a common eye condition that leads to vision loss in adults age 50 and up. AMD by itself does not lead to complete blindness. However, the loss of central vision, which causes blurred vision, can interfere with simple everyday activities like driving, reading, writing, or fixing things around the house.

Regular eye exams can help diagnose AMD and other visual problems, like glaucoma. In the United States, many families have access to annual eye exams to test for vision impairment and ocular diseases. In Haiti however, health care is not widely accessible, especially preventative care. Because of people like you, Grace Children’s Hospital can  make a difference and provide these essential exams to families in Haiti.

In 2020, ICC was able to ship several new pieces of essential medical equipment to GCH, including a Tonometer, a tool used for conducting simple eye pressure tests. These tools, valued at $4,500, are used to test for diseases such as glaucoma. The previous tonometer at GCH was so old replacement parts could no longer be found.

A working tonometer is essential for the GCH team, who typically see over 1,000 patients a month in their Optometry clinic.

A huge thank you to Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity in Ohio for generously donating the funds to pay for this essential piece of equipment, and to Missionary Flights for shipping.

With a new tonometer, the GCH team is ready to serve  children and families in Haiti through providing  ophthalmology exams, but they are still in need of other essential supplies to provide medical care. If you would like to help support the GCH team in their mission to provide essential, lifesaving healthcare services to the people of Haiti, please consider sending a donation.

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