Optical Dispensary, NEVOSH trip to Jinotepe, Nicaragua, 2003

Optical Dispensary 2003

Excerpted from Juan Carlos' Mission Report:

I don’t think I’ve mentioned where our extensive collection of eyeglasses comes from in previous reports. The majority of them come from recycling centers sponsored by the Lions Club International. The Lions collect eyeglasses from various locations and bring them to central processing centers. At these centers, the spectacles are cleaned and sorted. The prescriptions are then read off the glasses, which are then placed in bags and labeled. Once they are processed, they are then sent to groups like ours. The remaining eyewear comes from our members. This year I was able to bring about 250 pairs of non-prescription sunglasses, courtesy of my parents and aunt & uncle in Florida (hey—when you write the report, you can give a “shout-out” to whomever you want.) Non-prescription sunglasses are extremely valuable. As I’m sure you can imagine, the sun is very bothersome, and a pair of sunglasses can make a big difference in someone’s life. A few years ago, we decided to stop bringing prescription sunglasses. The need for them is great, but we never had enough to give everyone. I was told that we had a near riot one year due to patients who were envious of others who had received them.

Once we receive the glasses, the job is not nearly done. Months before the mission, our optical specialists, including Larry Ulm, Marty Fair, and Tim Kennedy, gather at Larry’s place in Pennsylvania for a long weekend to organize all of the glasses. They are sorted by prescription, gender, and type of lens. Once everything is organized as desired, the glasses are placed into large boxes. Larry then trucks them to New Haven, where they are put aboard a shipping container bound for Nicaragua. They arrive after a few weeks, and one of our friends picks them up and stores them until our arrival.
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Meanwhile, back at the clinic, things seemed to be going well to start with. Our group has a lot of capable and experienced people, so the fact that the director wasn’t there was not a problem. Each area (eye, medical, dental, optical, mobility, language, general clinic) had a team leader, who basically handled everything—thanks to Larry Ginsburg, Joe England, John Kerwin, Larry Ulm, Al Amerigian, Ed Greenan, and Marie Rondeau for doing that.

Read more of Juan Carlos' Mission Report