ICC's Eye Clinic To Get Pediatric Anesthesia Machine

International Child Care’s facilities in Haiti include a state-of –the art eye clinic devoted to saving and improving the vision of patients from across Haiti. With the help of faithful supporters, the clinic is able to treat more than a thousand patients every month. The clinic offers eye exams, eye glass fittings, and corrective surgery for cataracts and other problems like glaucoma. However, there are some limitations. Last week, ICC USA National Director Keith Mumma was visiting the clinic, observing staff and working with a video crew to capture stories of patients and progress in rebuilding the hospital. He saw firsthand the heartbreak of Haitian medical relief efforts; great care available, but patients who wait to seek treatment or who seek out home remedies before they seek modern medical care.

A young boy was brought in by his mother; she had been searching for three days to find a place that would treat his eye. The child had injured his eye in a fall and had actually sliced his eye. His mother didn’t know about ICC’s eye clinic until it was too late. Untreated, his eye became infected and doctors at the eye clinic were unable to save his vision in that eye. When the eye clinic’s director was discussing the case, she mentioned that they would have been able to offer some treatment to the child (although not save his vision) if they had an anesthesia machine with pediatric capabilities. Keith returned to the states with the determination to get the right equipment to the clinic. This week, ICC USA was able to purchase the machine, and we will be bringing it to Haiti soon.  

ICC’s eye clinic brings modern medicine to a country where home remedies for eye injuries sometimes involve pouring salt in wounds; not only do ICC's progams treat patients, they work to educate communities so that everyone knows that eye injuries should be seen by a doctor. An eye exam can cost as little as ninety cents per patient, but many cannot afford to pay even that. No patients are ever turned away for their inability to pay for treatment. Patients continue to pour into the clinic; after the earthquake, many sought treatment due to injury or irritation from the dust, and ICC was able to set up mobile clinics in the tent cities to reach out to even more patients.

If you can offer assistance to ICC as we continue to focus on improving eye care in Haiti, please contact us by email or phone. We gratefully accept donations of used eye glasses, and are seeking eye care professionals who would like to travel to Haiti.