The Foundation has screened over 13,300 people from villages in some of the most poor and remote provinces in Lao PDR.
 
  • 13,335 people screened–which included 6,725 females
  • 756 people received sight-restoring surgery or other treatment
  • 240 received glasses for refractive error.
As a result of this screening campaign, a total of 756 people received sight-restoring surgery or treatment; 563 of these for cataract.

With The Foundation's support, 22 health care workers were trained to go house-to-house to assess the eyes of people who could not travel to hospital due to poor vision, illness or lack of money. Also reached by the team were those who lived too far from an eye centre, or were reluctant to seek help due to a lack of knowledge about eye health and treatment options.

The Foundation's Lao PDR Country Manager, Dr Bouahome Phommalad, says the mobile eye screening approach is particularly successful in remote areas.

“They have the cataract surgery and get their sight restored and they can go back to the family,” says Dr Phommalad. “They can start supporting the family again and therefore reduce the labour burden.”

Find out more about The Foundation's work in Lao PDR.