Specsavers' optometrist joins Vanuatu outreach

Ian Russell, who is co-owner and optometrist at Specsavers Hornby, joined a Pacific team of seven eye health professionals providing much needed eye care at the main hospital in the capital, Port Vila this month. The eye team had also visited the remote island of Malekula the previous week.

The team screened hundreds of patients requiring glasses and treatment for eye disease and restored sight to over 100 people suffering from reversible cataract blindness.

Ian was blown away by the reaction of the Vanuatu patients and communities the team helped.

"The impact was phenomenal. I think we all expected to see some wonderful things take place during the outreach but nothing could have prepared us for the overwhelming sense of joy and celebration that came from the entire community when they realised someone's sight had been restored," said Ian.

"Most of the people we saw had been unnecessarily blind, or vision impaired, for many years because of cataracts or other treatable conditions. For some, this was the only opportunity to receive treatment and that was a very humbling experience. I wanted to do all I could to help."

Ian was particularly struck by one patient he met.

"One lady I saw, Mary Iakawak, had cataracts in both eyes and had been completely blind for a year, unable to see her young grandchild. She had travelled by boat and plane to the clinic from her home on Tanna Island, arriving a month before we got there because she was so eager to see and knew this was her only hope," said Ian.

"When Mary had the operation and could see again she was absolutely ecstatic! She almost didn't want to get her hopes up going into the surgery, but as soon as she was out and we took the bandage off she was so excited that she was going to be able to cook and look after her family again."

Dr John Szetu, Director of the Pacific Eye Institute in Fiji, headed up the trip. He has restored sight to more than 20,000 people across the Pacific in his 20-year career and knows the profound joy you feel when you have played a part in restoring someone's sight.

"Each screening or surgery has a ripple effect right through these communities; people get their independence back - they can work again, look after their families and enjoy all that life has to offer," said Dr Szetu.

"We were all just so thrilled to give something back to this nation. The outreach came at just the right time, with Christmas just around the corner it will truly be a festive celebration to remember for these families."

Ian's trip was funded by Specsavers as part of their partnership with The Fred Hollows Foundation.