National Vision Associate Traveled to Peru and Helped Hundreds
Heather with RestoringVision founder, Mark Sachs.
Heather Klatt, Director of Retail Operations at the Retail Support Center in Duluth, Georgia recently traveled to Zorritos, Peru with the nonprofit group, Sight is a Right. This was Heather’s third mission trip, previously traveling to Jamaica with the Great Shape! Inc. iCARE Program in 2014 and 2017.
In Peru, Heather joined a dedicated and hard-working team of seven optometrists, seven opticians, two Registered Nurses (RNs) and 10 volunteers, and helped 1,992 Peruvians in just four days.
The team also distributed 2,000 pairs of sunglasses, 1,700 pairs of reading glasses and made hundreds of referrals for additional treatment. Since roughly 29% of patients required prescription glasses, over 500 pairs of prescription glasses will be fabricated in the U.S. and delivered this month.
National Vision was able to support this trip with a donation of 500 sunglasses and 500 cleaning cloths.
The Need was Great
The team in Peru.
This area of Peru had never had a team of eye care professionals serve their community and thus, the need for the services was great.
According to the Mission Report, Zorritos is located 3.6 degrees south of the equator where ultraviolet (UV) rays cause serious damage to the eyes as sunglasses are seldom worn by the locals. The incidence of cataracts and pterygium (a growth that starts on the clear tissue of the eye that can spread to the cornea), both caused by UV light, is an epidemic in this region.
The majority of Peruvians examined over 40 years of age had cataracts and/or pterygium. It is estimated that 75% of those over 40 had pterygium and approximately 40% of patients over 40 had pterygium that was causing constant ocular irritation and/or obscuring vision or astigmatic vision problems.
Similar numbers were also discovered with the incidence of cataracts. Approximately 60% of those over 40 had cataracts that would disrupt normal daily activities and 30% had cataracts that would be considered significant enough to prevent them from obtaining a driver’s license in the U.S (2018 Mission Report).
For protection, all patients received a pair of 100% UV protection sunglasses.
Heather at the sunglasses table.
More About Sight is a Right
Sight is a Right is a nonprofit organization that provides free healthcare services to underserved communities throughout the world – with a focus on eye care. The organization completed its inaugural mission to Zorritos, Peru in March.
The organization plans to provide cataract surgery on a future visit to Peru. This would include the donation of a Phaco system and surgical training for the local ophthalmologists.
The team at Sight is a Right looks forward to serving many more communities in the years to come.
Jessica Altamirano
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