Policemen had their eyes tested as part of the St. Lucia Blind Welfare Association's community work

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Sightsavers' partner in St Lucia, the St Lucia Blind Welfare Association (SLBWA), has been working with community groups to make sure people understand how they can prevent blindness. It also works to make sure everyone can access the eye care services they need.

Since the middle of 2010, over 100 people have had training from SLBWA in how to test people's vision, spot eye problems and refer patients on for further treatment. Trainees include medical students, itinerant teachers, nursing students and community nurses/aides. Members of St John Ambulance also received training and this ensures SLBWA now have more trained volunteers to assist in community eye screening. Trainees were also provided with equipment such as visual acuity screening charts, and pen torches to examine people's eyes.

In June 2011 the Eye Care St Lucia team, including Marlynn Lendor, a student of the EU/Sightsavers supported optometry course in Guyana, visited students with multiple disabilities and vision impairment at the Special Education Centre where five boys and thirteen girls were examined. The team also participated in a health fair organised by the Royal St Lucia Police Force where visual acuity checks were performed on police officers.

SLBWA - Eye Care St Lucia's collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, the Royal St Lucia Police Force, Sir Arthur Lewis Community College, St John's Ambulance, special education facilities and other groups gives it strong links with communities. This makes the organisation better placed to help prevent avoidable blindness and create opportunities for people whose sight cannot be restored.

Achievements

 

In 2012 in the Caribbean, we supported our partners to carry out:

• 50,536 eye examinations
• 1,995 operations to restore sight or prevent blindness