East Timor Eye Program

Total Eyecare Optometrist, Andrew Koch, has just returned from volunteering in the September 2008 PVOT East Timor Optometry Outreach program. He was working in the southern district of Suai, providing secondary eyecare expertise and supporting and mentoring the newly trained Eyecare Nurse, Bernardino.

Andrew says" I saw very high levels of pathology.  On the first day of our clinic we saw approx 110 people and 52 were blind in one or 2 eyes." "Bernardino can now manage most of the simple day to day eyecare and refraction needs for the people of Suai. My main job was to mentor him and increase his skills and confidence so that he can better manage more complex eye conditions"
Suai is a 6 hrs away along a rough 4WD track  from the capital Dili. "I easily get car sick, but the mountainous countryside views were fantastic!"

Andrew Koch is now back home in Hobart, but Total Eyecare Optometrists Andrew Maver and Micheal Knipe, are in Maubisse on the following East Timor program trip.

The Provision Optometry Team (PVOT) is supported and funded by ProVision, Optometry Giving Sight and RACS.