Children and adults affected by preventable and treatable eye conditions are once again benefiting from the expertise of the Kids Insight Medical Mission, a volunteer team of pediatric eye specialists from the West Virginia Eye Institute.
The medical mission, which has partnered with the Saint Lucia Blind Welfare Association (SLBWA) for over 20 years, continues its longstanding commitment to improving eye health by providing free screening, diagnosis, and surgical services for blinding eye conditions.
In preparation for the surgical phase of the mission, a screening clinic was held at the Saint Lucia Blind Welfare Association. During the clinic, patients were assessed and selected for surgical intervention based on medical need and eligibility.
According to Director of Outreach at the West Virginia University Eye Institute, Rebecca Coakley, the mission’s scope extends beyond pediatric care to also address long-standing cataract cases within the public health system. “So we’ll look at pediatric cataract cases. We’ll also do crossed eyes or wandering eyes and then we’ll do tumors and eyes that need to be completely removed. The secondary purpose is to help the backlog of the government’s backlog of 500 cataract cases. People are waiting to get cataract surgery, so we’re going to try to address some of those while we’re here. In all, we hope to do about 75 surgery eyes this week and about 200 exams on children, and we also can provide glasses.”
Health officials have praised the Kids Insight Medical Mission for its continued partnership and dedication, noting that the initiative has had a lasting impact on the lives of hundreds of children and families across the island. The collaboration underscores the importance of international partnerships in enhancing specialized healthcare services and addressing avoidable blindness.