Stanford Eye Clinic held its last clinic for the year from Sunday, December 10th to the 14th at the San Pedro Lions Club Eye Clinic located at the Lion’s Den in San Pedro. Many islanders benefited from the free examinations and checkups. The clinic was offered by ophthalmologists Dr. Deborah Alcon and Dr. Steve Binder from Stanford University in California, USA.
Five clinic sessions have been offered since the clinic was inaugurated in May of this year. The clinic is equipped with all the equipment necessary to provide an array of services. The ophthalmologists not only provide examinations to inform patients about their need for glasses but can also detect health conditions in the eye such as cataracts, glaucoma, retinopathy, and diabetic complications among others. In the case that further treatment or surgery is required, the doctors then recommend patients to the Belize Council for the Visually Impaired (BCVI) in Belize City where such services are available.
According to Consi Nuñez the clinic, which falls under the Belizekids.org program, has been serving as many as 30 island residents a day who are taking advantage of the free service. “We thank the various doctors that come here every time to provide these services to the Islanders,” said Nuñez. ”We are also open to anyone who is willing to sponsor us with at least the doctor’s meals and other minor things they provide their service to us free of cost.” She mentioned that starting next year they intended for these checkups to take place monthly, which is being done through the efforts of Belizekids.org, Canary Cove, Stanford University, the San Pedro Lions Club, and BCVI.
When the Stanford University doctors are not on the island, the BCVI offers a free eye clinic on the first Wednesday of the month at the Lions Den. The next team coming from Stanford University will be in January 2018. For more information please visit www.belizekids.org
