The Problem
Optical, Medical & Surgical Eye Care
The mission began with providing much needed eye care to the poorest region of Roatan, from general eye exams and glasses to the treatment of disease and advanced cataract surgery. We are blessed to have been the first to bring this level of care to the island. Now patients diagnosed with blinding glaucoma or cataracts can receive treatment for conditions that would have eventually led to blindness.
Honduras is the poorest countryin Central America
60% of Honduras' 8 Million inhabitants Live in Terrible Poverty
Most people live on less than $1/day
Only 40% of people complete primary school
Cataracts
The Leading Cause of Preventable Blindness
A cataract is the clouding of the natural lens inside the eye which prevents clear vision. Although most cases of cataracts are related to the aging process, occasionally children can be born with the condition, or a cataract may develop after eye injuries, inflammation, and some other eye diseases.
According to the latest assessment of the World Health Organization, globally there are over 1 billion cases of preventable visual impairment. Among these cases the main conditions are cataracts (94 million) and the need for glasses (88.4 million). Although cataracts can be surgically removed, in many countries barriers exist that prevent patients access to surgery. Cataracts remain the leading cause of blindness. As people in the world live longer, the number of people with cataracts are anticipated to grow. Cataracts are also an important cause of low vision in both developed and developing countries.
In order to treat and reverse the effects of cataracts, the cloudy cataract lens must be surgically removed and replaced with an artificial intraocular lens implant. Cataract surgery is very successful in restoring sight and reversing or preventing blindness, helping people maintain visual independence, productivity and quality of life. In many remote parts of the developing world, people remain blind from cataracts, due to a lack of access to eye care. At Health in Sight Mission, we aim to change that.
1.3 billion live with some form of visual impairment
Globally, the leading causes of vision impairment are uncorrected refractive errors and cataracts.
80% of Blindness Worldwide is Preventable or Treatable.
Where Your Donations Go:
HISM is volunteer-based, so 100% of Donations go directly towards providing vision care to the people of Roatan, Honduras