Within 2 weeks of our last mission trip to Ixcán with Amigos Eye Care of Pacific University, a new group of patients traveled to have eye surgeries. Thirty-eight people were identified as needing surgeries during our mid-August trip to Ixcán. Ten days later our eye health promoter, Felipe, loaded 30 people on a bus bound for an eye clinic in San Benito, Petén, Guatemala.
The eye clinic called Vincent Piscadore is a branch of a clinic we have used in the past, Visualiza, in Guatemala City. This new clinic is devoted to care for the poor and eye surgeries are provided at a significantly reduced cost. For a cataract surgery $120 will cover the surgery, plus food and lodging for 3 days.
The trip to San Benito takes about 5 hours each way and the patients stayed there for 3 days to begin their follow-up care. On their return to Ixcán Felipe calls each patient every day for the 1st week to make sure they have no problems and that they are taking their medications to prevent infection.
Of the 30 patients, 22 received cataract surgeries, 5 had surgeries to remove growths on their corneas and 4 were treated for glaucoma or infections. Ten days after their return home, Felipe took the cataract patients back to San Benito for a follow-up visit.
The results were good and everyone is doing well. If you would like to help more people receive quality eye care, go to the donate button to the right!