Eye Medical Mission For The Poor

The Gift of Sight Foundation successfully held the Eye Medical Mission in the province of Ilocos Sur. The program giving free eye surgery to the poor patients from different municipality was the fourth time held in the Candon City Hospital.

This year, there were sixty three (63) patients served. There are thirty nine (39) patients operated with cataract and twenty three (23) operated with pterygium and one entropion repair. The eye operation was done by Dr. Kenneth Westfield and Dr. Vu Duong, both renowned ophthalmologists not only in US but in the whole world because they have been doing eye medical missions in other countries too.

The program was brought to the province through the initiative of Deputy Speaker Eric Singson, the Rotary Club of Paranaque East through Manny Carinio and the Candonians of Las Vegas Nevada.

The eye operation was made from November 7 to November 10. But before the eye operation, the screenings were held to the patients a month ago. Most of the beneficiaries are older people or those 60 years old above. After the operation, there was also a follow up check-up for the beneficiaries giving them needed medicine if it is necessary.

The beneficiaries were all so thankful for the said outreach program. A single eye operation would need P50K or $1,000. This program was given free of charge to the beneficiaries. An old woman was so tearful when being interviewed because she said she can now look well with her both eyes. She said it’s worth the little pain during the operation because the eyes are clearer and sharper.

But not all patients undergo operation because some of the patients have health concerns which the doctors denied the operation.

This is the 4^th time the Eye Medical Mission was held in the second district of Ilocos Sur. The Gift Of Sight have been big help to the communities who cannot afford the high cost of eye operation.