Athlone Specsavers duo volunteer in Kolkata

SPECSAVERS volunteers recently played a crucial role in supporting over 2,400 people living in street and slum communities in Kolkota, India.

Among those volunteers were Optometrist Director Keith McCallion and Ophthalmic Director Kate Kelly from Specsavers Athlone.

As Keith, Kate and their team navigated the harsh reality while volunteering at The Hope Hospital Eye Clinic, they visited local street and slum communities where they provided eye health care to those living on the streets.

During their week-long trip, the team of expert opticians visited eleven different locations and gave eye checks to 2,414 patients, dispensed over 1,904 glasses, and in more severe cases, referred patients to Hope Hospital for surgery. For the majority of these people this was their first time ever seeing an Optician and availing of the basic of eye health care that we often take for granted here in Ireland.

One of those patients was Clara Halder, a 56-year-old community care giver. A hugely passionate reader, books have always been Clara’s escapism from reality, however in recent years she has struggled with deteriorating vision. What once brought her joy, reading now brought her terrible headaches. Without opportunity or spend to see an Optician or Doctor about her eyesight, she found herself having to sacrifice her passion of reading. However, when Specsavers came to her local community with the mobile Eye Clinic she queued to be seen and was overjoyed when she was prescribed glasses and given a pair on the spot to take home. Speaking to Specsavers she said she ‘can’t believe she gets to take these glasses home and for nothing in return. This is a gift that you cannot possibly understand the value of. This will bring me back my joy, my peace and it’s something for just me to have.’

Despite the seemingly routine nature of the eye care provided, many individuals treated by Specsavers colleagues had never accessed such services before. Dr. Samran, CEO of The Hope Hospital, emphasised the significance of the visit, noting that 90% of cases of blindness could have been prevented if timely treatment was available. This highlights the critical impact of the Specsavers team's efforts in bringing essential eye care to those who had previously lacked access.

Eight-year-old Amaira Gulzar was brought to the Specsavers eye clinic where she spoke of sore eyes and headaches. On testing, it was clear that she needed glasses and of a very high prescription so the symptoms she complained of were not surprising. Amaira had never realised that she couldn’t see clearly, assuming her vision was how all people saw things. On trying on glasses, she was overwhelmed and surprised, not quite believing the clarity she had been missing out on. Amaira was excited to get to school the next day to see how the blackboard would appear with her new glasses and was so thankful to Specsavers and Hope for giving her clear sight.

For the people seen by Specsavers on this trip to Kolkata, having glasses can be a life changing tool, be it to help in their education or help them to obtain work to support their families.

Following his visit, Keith said: ‘It was great to meet the patients who previously had cataract surgery. It’s proof that the Hope Foundation have been supporting and making change. As a result, they trust us to come back and continue their eyecare.

‘The work we’re doing under the blindness eradication programme is more than treatment of cataracts, glaucoma and eye disease. It’s also about supporting people who just need glasses. I know for myself, if I couldn’t wear glasses, I couldn’t leave the house let alone keep a job or provide for my family.

“The simple act of giving glasses means that you can cure someone’s blindness, allowing them to get a job, get an education and live a fulfilled life.’

Speaking about her trip to Kolkata, Kate recalls a particular highlight for her which involved providing glasses to a 55-year-old male, who never had glasses. Once he was able to see, he was overwhelmed with gratitude.

At the end of their week-long volunteering trip, Specsavers presented a cheque of €135,000 to founder of The Hope Foundation, Maureen Forrest. This significant donation will play a vital role in sustaining the eye care clinic in Kolkata.

Maureen Forrest, Founder of the Hope Foundation explains that this programme ‘is the difference between life and death to people who can’t feed their families.

In addition to the staff from Specsavers, four optometry students from Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin), Eimear Kilroy, Irene Finnerty, Brid Stack, and Ava Shiels and Paula James along with their Lecturer and Head of Optometry, Declan Hovenden travelled to Kolkata. Specsavers has an academic partnership with TU Dublin, providing expert mentorship and support to students of Optometry. The partnership is to help students develop the necessary skillsets required to excel in a professional environment and in their academic studies, so Specsavers were thrilled to be able to bring some students from the course to Kolkata to help with their mission.