Special Feature
and has endeavoured since then to
do at least one mission trip a year. Simply access to eye care and a
pair of glasses,” he says. the immense value of what eyecare
professionals can provide.
He said two of his mentors, Dr. Peter
McGuigan and Dr. Patrick Murphy,
were regular volunteers on the trips
and introduced him to the idea and
supported him with encouragement
and time off to participate. The teams also diagnose and treat
eye diseases and, on trips support-
ed by a specialized opthamologist,
treat cataracts. Signal Hill Eye Care is always
accepting old eyeglasses so Pearce
can bring them along on his mission
trips.
The teams typically see between
300 and 1,000 patients per day,
depending on the size of the group. He says other practices can do the
same.
“Collecting old
glasses in your
office can be of
value, not only
taking in used
glasses for future
projects, but also
to spread the
word of this
charitable cause...”
The trips are often a collaboration
between optometry, opticianry and
ophthalmology, he said, and the
size of the teams can range from
small groups of four doctors to sur-
gical trips with ophthalmologists
and teaching trips with students.
Dr. Pearce said the clinical work
the teams do on the trips is varied,
but most is refractive in nature and
involves providing glasses to men,
women and children in need.
“This is by far the biggest unmet
need in developing countries.
Patients are seen in clinics, health
facilities, churches, schools or any
other area that is accessible to the
community.
Typically, the teams bring with
them portable eyecare equipment,
ocular medication, sunglasses
and hockey bags full of glasses to
distribute.
“Collecting old glasses in your office
can be of value, not only taking in
used glasses for future projects, but
also to spread the word of this chari-
table cause,” he says.
“It may also serve as a practice build-
er as your patients identify with your
philanthropic support.”
OP
“Everyday is filled with heart-
warming moments of a high myope
seeing their family member’s face
or a simple presbyope being able to
read. It is common to see some very
high prescriptions for people that
have never had glasses,” he says.
“Some experiences are more subtle
in that you start treatment for a
glaucoma patient or get a cataract
patient on the pathway to a surgery.”
In other cases, like with the little
boy in Malawi, the ECPs are able to
help people to receive critical care.
Dr. Pearce said when travelling to
a place where even the most basic
eyecare services are not available
or affordable, it connects him to
Optical Prism | October 2019 43