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Eyeglasses Help Needy Balinese See Clearly

May 23rd, 2006

Hundreds of Balinese will have free access to clearer vision, thanks to the generous donors who recently contributed unwanted, used eyeglasses to the “I Can See Clearly” community drive.

Launched in October to collect used eyeglasses, the effort has since netted nearly 1,000 donated units to The John Fawcett Foundation/ Yayasan Kemanusiaan Indonesia (YKI). Donations were shipped, posted and hand carried by year-end visitors to Bali arriving from around the world, while local residents scoured drawers for out-of-date spectacles.

Once received, all donated eyeglasses are sorted according to usability. Of the recent donations, about 60 percent were deemed usable, a high ratio according to the foundation’s optometry workers. An optometry technician grades the lenses and standard lenses are retained. Non-standard lenses are removed and replaced with standard ones.

For poor Balinese farmers or school children in remote villages, good vision care is not an assumption - it is a luxury. YKI routinely conducts free vision checks among local schools and in mass village screenings. A surprisingly large percentage of people screened are identified as candidates for cataract surgery. An equally significant number of those screened have vision impairment, which can be aided with eyeglasses.

These patients may choose frames from the donated stock. Thus, these recently donated and processed glasses are immediately available to benefit patients - and at no cost to the recipient.

Used or unwanted eyeglasses or frames are continually accepted at designated points around the island. These points include: YKI, Lakimen Advertising, Bali Discovery Tours, BIMC, Tropical Homes, Jenggala Keramik, Bali Hotels Association, Sourcing Bali, The Works and Ary’s Warung.

Bulk shipments remain a logistical problem, but small quantity donations brought in with visitors luggage or posted have not been a problem.

For further information contact:
Yayasan Kemanusiaan Indonesia
The John Fawcett Foundation
JI. Pengembak 16
Blanjong, Sanur, Bali
Tel: +62-361-270812 Fax: +62-361-287707
Email: yki@indo.net.id
Web: www.balieye.org

Source: Tropical Living

Entry Filed under: News