August 2024 Missions Trip

Our most recent mission trip in August 2024 was one to remember. With one of the largest contingents of volunteers to date, we were blessed to have a remarkable group of individuals, united in purpose and passion, to come together to serve the people of Roatan. Our team consisted of three ophthalmologists, their families, as well as a mix of volunteers ranging from high schoolers, undergraduates, and medical students, to experienced technicians and residents. We were honored to have some special guests join us on this trip. Andy Chang, the president of Zeiss USA, accompanied by his son, played an integral role in both the clinical side of our mission and in helping highlight our work, as they are a testament to the incredible industry support we have behind our mission. We also partnered with Creighton and Cristobal from i2vision, a medical marketing company.  They spent the week with us filming a documentary about our experience. Their dedication to capturing the essence of our work will help us share our story with an even wider audience and continue to raise awareness about the vital need for vision care in underserved areas.

In the span of a few days, our team performed an impressive 34 cataract surgeries, 28 pterygium surgeries, and provided over 230 eye exams. Each of these procedures and exams was an opportunity we were blessed to have—to be able to restore vision, change lives, and strengthen local communities. It is always a privilege to be able to serve the people of Roatan, some who have traveled for hours, days even, to come to our clinic for eye care.  Patients come in often barely able to recognize faces or navigate their daily lives. It was not uncommon to have patients unable to see being guided down the clinic hallways by their friends and loved ones. Despite their vision loss, these patients carried themselves with serenity and a calm smile. It is always humbling and inspiring to be able to witness their incredible resilience, their trust in us, and their faith in God.

In addition to our work at the clinic, the residents lead teams to some of the most underserved communities of Roatan. We conducted vision screenings at Oakridge, a community on the eastern side of the island, as well as at the Elaine Curtis Learning Center, serving the families of Mudhole and the Dump. Similar to last year, the team prepared goodie bags for the kids at the learning center, backpacks filled with school supplies like crayons, pencils, and coloring books.

As we reflect on this trip, we are overwhelmed with gratitude. It was beautiful to see the team come together as one big family and to be in the presence of friendship, camaraderie, compassion, love, and faith. Many thanks to our partners at Zeiss and i2vision, with whom we are able to continue to improve and expand our mission work. And many thanks to the people of Roatan who welcomed us into their communities.

-Eric (Yale Medical Student)