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Thread: Missions Work - Need advice, input, etc.

  1. #1
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    Missions Work - Need advice, input, etc.

    Hello - I am leading a group of adults from our church to Guatemala City for a 10 day missions trip in August. I am a COA and would love to do a small eye clinic - nothing fancy as I am the only one with eye experience.. mostly fitting people with readers and or donated glasses. Anyone ever done this or have info that might be of interest to me? I am looking for an old but useable autorefractor to leave with the missionary we will be working with if anyone knows of something cheap or you might have one to donate that's been sitting around the office collecting dust....

    Thanks for your help!

  2. #2
    Rising Star
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    I was able to go to Togo, West Africa last year with a group from my church. All we did was collect glasses from our church before we left. The biggest need for us was readers. I hope you enjoy your missions trip. You'll never be the same. Here is one of my hundreds of pictures. I'm the one in the white shirt. Click image for larger version. 

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  3. #3
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter Jubilee's Avatar
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    I would check to see if one of the other optical charities in your area might have equipment you can borrow. Lion's club, Prevent Blindness, VOSH.. ones that typically receive more funding/donations than church based organizations.

    The Lion's Club can even help you with donated eyewear if you are interested in actually autorefracting then selecting the most appropriate pair.

    Have you served on one of these type missions? About how many people do you want to serve?

    Depending upon scale, you may want to organize the glasses into boxes, each one bagged and tagged.. and have all that info with the rx in a database so you can just run a query for the pair closest to your autorefracted script.

    Readers and sunglasses are always in high demand. You may want to contact a few of the companies that make these products to see if they would be willing to donate to the cause. Viva has always been good about donating product, and you might check with California, or LBI for readers, etc.. You could even contact all the various organizations affiliated with Essilor since they have the corner on the drugstore variety brands.

    Good luck! I wish I was going with ya!
    "Some believe in destiny, and some believe in fate. But I believe that happiness is something we create."-Something More by Sugarland

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    I would strongly recommend you stop by your local Lenscrafters store and ask if anyone there has been involved with any local, regional or world projects.

    I know that when I worked there they had a strong network of people with a great deal of experience that they were willing to share. They often see hundreds of people in a day with the Vision Van alone...

    Say what you will about the old LC but they do now how to run a charitable vision service.

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    Thanks for all your help!

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    OptiBoard Apprentice Jesseree1430's Avatar
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    I just want to say that I think what you are doing for people in third world countries is amazing and has motivated me to get involved with over seas optical charities :-)

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    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter Jubilee's Avatar
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    While most stores should certainly have 1-2 people who have been involved with mission or vision van projects..typically it is only a handful of folks in the company that organize the overseas missions. Most of the time they work with the destination's local lion's club to find a location, select those in need, and help grease the palms necessary to get your equipment to arrive in a timely manner..

    You mention this is a church mission trip? Is it strictly medical based or is it a building/infrastructure program?
    "Some believe in destiny, and some believe in fate. But I believe that happiness is something we create."-Something More by Sugarland

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    You really need to make contact with established vision charities like VOSH or GOS. It is far more involved than simply giving out pre-fabbed readers, and these folks have already invented the wheel.

    There has been a lot of criticism lately about mission trips that just give out glasses without providing eye health examination services. (would you want a family member to simply be given readers when they might have glaucoma or 3 diopters of astigmatism?). People in third world countries don't want to be treated like..."people in third world countries", nor should they be.

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    Underemployed Genius Jacqui's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by fjpod View Post
    You really need to make contact with established vision charities like VOSH or GOS. It is far more involved than simply giving out pre-fabbed readers, and these folks have already invented the wheel.

    There has been a lot of criticism lately about mission trips that just give out glasses without providing eye health examination services. (would you want a family member to simply be given readers when they might have glaucoma or 3 diopters of astigmatism?). People in third world countries don't want to be treated like..."people in third world countries", nor should they be.
    +1

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    Rising Star walleye's Avatar
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    Go on the www.vosh.org web site and they may have info regarding mission trips and their experiences. Also you can request used donated eyeglasses from one of the Lions Eyeglass Recycling Centers. There is one for the mid atlantic in Trenton, NJ. Their website is www.njlerc.org Our Lions District 14 R here in Montgomery County, Pa just donated 26,000 pairs to the New Jersey Lions Eyeglass Recycling program this month. Good luck with your mission and it is wonderful work you are doing.

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    I had to read thousands of glasses for months and months and months before our OD went on a VOSH trip in January. They are particular prescription parameters you must follow if you're using donated glasses. There are also specific types of frames/lenses that you are unable to use as well (IE: Glass lenses, semi-rimless frames, etc) Everything is very coordinated as far as the prescription so the dispensers can turn around and grab something the closest to the patient's RX. So, I would follow what everyone has mentioned and look into it a little more for the particulars. Good luck! :bbg:

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    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter Jubilee's Avatar
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    When I have gone on these type of missions, the glasses are organized by if their plus or minus, then by cyl with the actual sphere power. Those glasses are in boxes, with each individual pair bagged and tagged. The tag having the rx,and location number. Say box 15 pair 10. So you put that information into a database, and use a query to find the pair closest to your script.

    We also had a large box of sunglasses. When I was in Chile, we had several people affected by the reflection of the sun off of the arid land. Having sunglasses to give to folks to help protect their eyes was good for both preventitive measures, and to allievate some of the sensitivity people had.

    There is also the organization of the clinic to make sure everything flows in a neat and orderly fashion. Etc.
    "Some believe in destiny, and some believe in fate. But I believe that happiness is something we create."-Something More by Sugarland

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    I have been on about 8 missions to Mexico. A couple of thoughts I will pass on. Lately we have had trouble with customs. Getting glasses and supplies in has been an issue. My first trip was almost canceled because the local eyecare providers thought we would steal business. Of course the people we helped had no money for eyecare so it really shouldn't have been an issue. The lead Dr. brought lots of eyedrops to give away to placate them. Of course if You are not fluent in the language spoken there that can be a real problem. Articulating what they are getting and how to use them is paramount. We have worked with local Lions clubs and civic groups to organize clinics. The "advertising" has to be done and a clinic site needs to be set up. Our first clinic in Mazatlan was preceded by several years of vacationing there and much discussion with local parties involved. And of course as mentioned organization of glasses and the clinic are important. That being said it will be one of the most rewarding things you can do. I don't think we really understand poverty in this country. Yes we have lots of poverty, but I have not seen anything close to some of the towns I have been in in Mexico. Plus we have programs in place to help many people. Where I have been there was nothing for the truly poor. Congratulations on your effort!

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    I truly admire all attempts to assist the poverty of the world, and the work of ECPs should be applauded. However, I also wish that organizations would be a little more sensitive to the local industry that is there full time.....growing, hopefully, and that attempts to "do good" ares not destroying, hurting, or "setting back" the growth and development of the country's own ability to nourish itself. To put it bluntly........how would you feel if North America was flooded by free healthcare, or free used cars from some benevolent charity from a richer country? What would it do to our local industries?

    I feel that all "charitable" attempts should spend equal time and resources, mandatory, helping the local industries to deliver the service/product in a sustainable way.

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    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter Jubilee's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by uncut View Post
    I truly admire all attempts to assist the poverty of the world, and the work of ECPs should be applauded. However, I also wish that organizations would be a little more sensitive to the local industry that is there full time.....growing, hopefully, and that attempts to "do good" ares not destroying, hurting, or "setting back" the growth and development of the country's own ability to nourish itself. To put it bluntly........how would you feel if North America was flooded by free healthcare, or free used cars from some benevolent charity from a richer country? What would it do to our local industries?

    I feel that all "charitable" attempts should spend equal time and resources, mandatory, helping the local industries to deliver the service/product in a sustainable way.
    There has been a lot of discussion on this subject. I believe everyone's hope.. and certainly the World Health Organization's plan is to create sustainable eye care programs in all areas..However this takes a lot of time, money, and resources that aren't available every where yet.
    In some countries, a trip to the eyedoctor takes days, and then the cost of the eyewear is more than a month's salary for even the basic frame and lens. The problem is what to do until that situation allievates itself.

    Even here, we have many charities that donate goods and services to help people see. The Lions Club, Prevent Blindness, Sight for Students, the American Red Cross, and dozens of other organizations provide those in need with vision exams and glasses. So far, it seems that the optical industry is still alive and well here in the US. We seem more concerned about the internet than we do about the folks who are literally giving things away.

    I think for a lot of organizations, especially smaller church based ones, the typical mission of going in, giving rudementary exams, matching recycled eyewear, and getting out is much more "doable" in investment costs than developing an industry in a nation. Hopefully as technology continues to evolve and it becomes less expensive to train and educate, every area will see the optical industry take root..
    "Some believe in destiny, and some believe in fate. But I believe that happiness is something we create."-Something More by Sugarland

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    Quote Originally Posted by fjpod View Post
    You really need to make contact with established vision charities like VOSH or GOS. It is far more involved than simply giving out pre-fabbed readers, and these folks have already invented the wheel.

    There has been a lot of criticism lately about mission trips that just give out glasses without providing eye health examination services. (would you want a family member to simply be given readers when they might have glaucoma or 3 diopters of astigmatism?). People in third world countries don't want to be treated like..."people in third world countries", nor should they be.
    Ditto

    I have been on several missions with VOSH and other organizations. While I really appreciate the desire to help, it is, indeed, more than just passing out readers or auto-refracting.

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