One-time project
2018 - Saint-Louis, Senegal2018
Saint-Louis, Senegal
From November 18th to December 1st, IRIS Mundial volunteers went to Senegal to provide eye care to the community of St-Louis. The mission was a great success! The dynamic team of 30 Canadian volunteers (ophthalmologists, optometrists, opticians, a medical doctor, nurses and assistants) saw over 2000 patients in desperate need of eye exams, prescription eyewear, sunglasses and eye medications. In addition, 29 people among the patients received an ocular surgery during the mission. A big thank you to all the volunteers for their generosity and exceptional dedication!
In my entire career, I have never seen so many optic nerves so severely affected in glaucoma patients. I saw 10 of them in only the first day of consultation when normally this is a rare disease.
Results
- Eye examinations: 2000 patients
- Medical examinations: 522 patients
- Ocular surgeries: 29
- Eyeglasses (including sunglasses): 3500
- All people requiring prescription eyewear and ocular or systemic medications were able to get it.
Partners
- Ministère de la Santé et de l’Action sociale in Senegal
- Association St-Louisienne pour la Vue (ASV) and its volunteers
- St. Louis Regional Hospital Center
- Keur Mame Fatim Konté Center
- IRIS, The Visual Group and the IRIS stores for the preparation of used eyeglasses
- Novartis
- Alcon Canada
- Johnson & Johnson
- Allergan
- MEXUSCAN Cargo
- True Blue Vision
- Centennial
- Laservue Clinic
- Kleargo
- Collaboration Santé Internationale
- Book Humanitaire
- Délégation générale du Québec à Dakar
- New Look Vision Group
I was moved to be able to give new glasses to Abdoulaye, an 11 year old boy we found in the street, who had old, broken and patched glasses that were not adapted to his vision. He had -14 dioptres. I felt so overwhelmed with emotion when he smiled after noticing the difference.
with his new clear vision!