Ernest Khoo with a young patient
Run in conjunction with the local Thailand partners, the mission ran over two weeks in early December last year and tested a staggering 17,000 patients over a period of eight days.
The opportunity to be part of an international OneSight clinic is a chance of a lifetime for a young optometrist, providing not only an eye-opening and humbling experience, but also the chance to interact with a community of like-minded eyecare professionals from around the world.
The only Kiwi on the mission, Ernest was one of 12 optometrists who made up a team of 45 in total, including a number of optical dispensers, who all worked together to examine and dispense a huge volume of recycled and new prescription spectacles and plano sunglasses.
Patients travelled from nearby towns and villages, some covering distances of up to 16km on foot to arrive by 7am at the clinic, which was held in a local stadium in order to accommodate the 2,000 plus patients seen by the team each day.
Having been given registration cards on arrival, patients initially waited in a ‘pre-dilation area’ before being moved through for auto-refractive tests and an ophthalmoscope exam. Patients who needed further examination were referred to the local ophthalmology department at Phayao Hospital, and the remainder were sent through to the ‘scripting area’ where they were seen by one of the optometrists to determine their prescription and discuss which type of optical correction best suited their needs.
Once final prescriptions were ascertained, they were entered into a computer system which found the closest possible match from the recycled spectacles available, and once chosen, patients were directed to the ‘dispensing area’ where their new spectacles were fitted and their visual acuities checked. Also on hand were new rading glasses and specially designed frames called ‘Chabella’, round ‘Harry Potter’ style spectacles that make axis rotation straight-forward for patients who require an exact match.
Overall the clinic saw a wide range of prescriptions and pathology such as diabetic retinopathy, retinitis pigmentosa, toxic maculopaties and hypertensive retinopathy among many others. By the end of the eight days of intensive examinations, over 400 patients were referred on for further testing.
Ernest found the Thai people to be extremely grateful, patient and friendly, especially considering the average wait time was around three hours.
“I remember meeting a 14-year-old girl who had a -14D prescription and had never had any form of optical correction. It was incredible to see the look on her face as she was fitted with her first pair of spectacles. I’ll also never forget the delight of three elderly life-long friends who were able to see each other clearly for the first time – it was a very humbling experience,” he said.
Despite the hectic pace of the clinic, it was bittersweet for Ernest to leave for home.
“There were a huge range of emotions as people were all exhausted and ready to head home, but we were also reluctant to leave the community that had made us feel so welcomed,” he said.
Calling the trip one of the highlights of his year, Ernest says he wouldn’t hesitate to do it all over again, and highly recommends the experience to other eye care professionals. However on a smaller scale, he feels that one of the most vital lessons learned is the importance of spreading the message of recycling usable spectacles, whether by donating them at OPSM stores or through relevant charities.
