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The work of the Rosani Lens Project is to provide a unified, aligned solution to three core problems:
- Millions of people are living visually impaired because they cannot get an appropriate set of glasses due to significant barriers to access and availability;
- One of the main barriers, especially in low- to middle-income countries (LMICs), is that there are simply not enough trained eye specialists to provide the necessary testing and make the glasses; and, finally
- Thousands of groups and individuals pursue charitable endeavors annually—including for medical missions—but often lack the training and resources to make the lasting change to which they aspire.
How do we get more high-quality, life-changing glasses to more people? Where do we find the human resources to reach the most remote communities, when such a shortage exists? How can we help good-hearted people maximize their charitable efforts abroad?
These are the questions that drove the formulation of the Rosani Lens Project. With a curated technique for refractive testing and custom glasses production, people can be recruited and “deputized”, without formal ophthalmic training, to go out into communities where access to glasses has been absent. There they distribute sight-improving lenses at a fractional cost—improving vision, maximizing long-term impact, and providing care and dignity in the process.
To that end, last month, eight Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Fleming Island traveled to Grand Bahama, an Island devastated by Hurricane Dorian two years ago.
They provided both reading and prescription glasses free of charge to persons who would otherwise not be able to afford glasses. They teamed with the Rotary Clubs of Freeport and Grand Bahama, along with the Bahamas Health Services to provide this valuable service. 359 people were served over a three day period; distributing 412 pairs of reading glasses and 171 pairs of prescription glasses.
The Salvation Army provided their facility – which allowed two simultaneous testing locations and a separate reading glasses booth.
Rosani Lens Project is a locally conceived program driven by ophthalmologist Dr. Ben Thomas. Fleming Island Rotarians learned of this important process during a presentation to their club. The kits cost approximately $500.00 for 50 pairs of glasses frames and include portable eye testers and each item necessary to conduct eye tests. Glasses are then made for each individual, based upon the outcome of the eye exam. There are approximately 50 lenses for each pair of frames, so there will be a satisfactory number of lenses to meet the variations in eye correction.
This was the second visit to the Island and additional clubs or partipants are welcome.
Thanks to AG Randy Robb for this article.
John
John Tabor | District Governor 2023-2024
Rotary District 6970
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