OneSight Team India 2012
On April 14, 2012, 35 volunteers from all over the
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world flew to India and met in Jodhpur, Rajasthan
which is also known as the “blue city”. The team
consisted of 9 optometrists, 3 opticians, and 23 eager
volunteers. For 2 weeks, we were able to examine
almost 5000 patients and dispensed vast numbers of
recycled donated spectacles and sun wear.
Despite the sweltering heat and members falling ill
from dehydration and poor sanitary conditions, our
team maintained high spirits and kept focused on why
we were each chosen to be here: to give the gift of
sight. A simple nod and smile from a patient upon
receiving a pair of glasses made this trip well worth it.
Our work here puts only a tiny dent on providing for
the huge population that is still lacking proper eye
care. 80% of the blindness in India is correctable, with
20% due to refractive errors that can be easily fixed
by spectacles, and 60% due to cataracts. With this in
mind, local hospitals were also visited on this trip in
order to have our patients referred directly for
surgery. This eye care mission was truly an
unforgettable experience that allowed us to witness
and make a difference in these people’s lives with just
a pair of glasses.
