Information & Assistance

**Mary Lisenbery** · 06-27-2005, 03:33 PM

I belong to a group called International Vision Volunteers (www.internationalvisionvol.org) a non-profit organization based in Antioch, CA and Zambia. We have recently (2003) built an eye hospital in Zambia. I usually go there 2-3 times a year. I (am not medical by profession) have been trained to use the Humphrey Auto Lensometer (we have 15,000 pair of donated glasses). To make this short .. our lensometer has died and we don't have any opticians in our membership .. all ophthalmologists. I volunteered to take on this project without much knowledge .. I am in search of another lensometer.

Do you know of any where I might start asking to see if a doctor or group might be interested in DONATING a lensometer for the good cause? Or sell one at a very good discounted price?

Any information you can provide will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you sincerely,

Mary Lisenbery
International Vision Volunteers
Oak Harbor, WA
360-675-9163
pveyes@hotmail.com

**shellrob** · 06-27-2005, 04:10 PM

I've actually been looking on Ebay myself and it sounds funny, but if I can get a good deal and then have it properly calibrated, why not? Try it out.

**shellrob** · 06-27-2005, 04:10 PM

I'll look and ask around to see if I can come up with any additional information for you.

**Mary Lisenbery** · 06-27-2005, 06:07 PM

Thanks .. one of the cofounding Dr's of our IVV group lives and has a clinic in Findley, Ohio.

**Jedi** · 06-27-2005, 06:30 PM

Is this auto lensometer so far gone it can't be repaired?

**LENNY** · 06-27-2005, 06:32 PM

cAN YOU OPERATE A MANUAL lENSOMETER?

**Mary Lisenbery** · 06-27-2005, 06:41 PM

I am not sure of the condition, I will have to contact the Dr in CA who recently returned from Zambia and passed on that it was broken. I am going to Zambia in Aug and will be able to take a look at it personally .. I am a retired Navy electronics tech and fixed it once before (but can't remember what I did to repair it).

**Mary Lisenbery** · 06-27-2005, 06:43 PM

No .. never seen one or know anything about them. My uncle (the ophthalmologist and founder of International Vision Volunteers) said it is best we get a digital automatic lensometer because none of our members are optically trained and we want to be able to train the Zambian nurse we hired on how to read the donated glasses lens.

**Cindy Hamlin** · 06-27-2005, 09:21 PM

Mary,

How about contacting some of the manufacturers? They might be willing to donate for a cause and the write off. Also, did you try contacting the manufacturer of the one you are using and ask them for assistance with the repairs? You never know until you ask.

**Pete Hanlin** · 06-28-2005, 09:49 AM

I will forward this thread to our professional relations folks and see if any of the Optometry schools have an auto-refractor they are ready to retire.