REACHING THE POOR WITH NEW EYE CLINIC IN MANAGUA

Dr. Francisco Delgado (far left front) with staff
and IEF's Raheem Rahmathullah (far right)

OPENING OF CLINICA OFTALMOLOGICA OJO SANO

The International Eye Foundation and Vision for the Poor are proud to announce the opening of a new social enterprise eye clinic in Managua, Nicaragua.  The grand opening of Clinica Oftalmologica Ojo Sano will be Wednesday, August 29, 2012 at 10 a.m. 

Representatives from the Nicaragua and Managua Ministries of Health have been invited along with representatives from the office of the US Ambassador to Nicaragua.  Representatives from the local Rotary International club, local Lions Clubs International, International Eye Foundation, Vision for the Poor, Visualiza (Guatemala), along with Mario Secasa representing Future of Nicaragua will be present.

A joint partnership of the International Eye Foundation (IEF) and Vision for the Poor has worked for over a year with Dr. Francisco Abraham Delgado Dolmus to establish this new social enterprise eye clinic serving all segments of the population in and around the capital Managua, Nicaragua.  Dr. Delgado, a senior ophthalmologist with 20 years experience practicing in the government and private sectors, founded the Fundación Oftalmológica Nicaragüense de Prevención de Ceguera (FONIPRECE) and will be Chief Ophthalmologist for Clinica Oftalmologica Ojo Sano.  With private, fee paying and social services, the new clinic will have a sliding fee structure allowing revenue for sustainability and to cross-subsidize services for the poor who cannot pay.  Providing quality Ophthalmic and Optical services to residents of Managua as well as patients from surrounding rural areas, the clinic will be staffed by Nicaraguan ophthalmologists who are there full time.

Fee paying (for profit) services will offset the cost of the social services and by the end of three years, the clinic will be self-sustaining reducing the need for outside funding for core costs.  This demonstrated, verifiable approach to affordable eye care for all is working successfully in 17 countries with IEF’s 29 current sustainability partners.  The clinic in Managua will adhere to the same management and organizational principles.  IEF gratefully acknowledges grant support for this program from the Lavelle Fund for the Blind. 

Honoring Dr. Paul Steinkuller

On Sunday, October 23, the International Eye Foundation honored Dr. Paul Steinkuller of Houston with its 2011 Promotion of Peace and Vision Award for an ophthalmologist. IEF President & CEO Victoria Sheffield presented the Award assisted by Dr. Larry Schwab, a past recipient and IEF Board member. The presentation was made during a reception held during the 2011 American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting in Orlando.

Dr. Steinkuller received the Award in recognition of his over three decades commitment to international blindness prevention. In the 1980s, he and his family worked in Kenya on behalf of IEF. His life work is testament to his dedication to the ideals of Dr. King's vision of "...the promotion of peace through the prevention of blindness."

Pictured above (L to R): Dr. Paul Steinkuller, Victoria Sheffield, Dr. Schwab

World Sight Day 2011 - October 13, 2011

Cost-Effectiveness of Blindness Prevention Activities

Join the International Eye Foundation on Thursday, October 13, 2011 from 12 noon-1:15pm for a Capitol Hill briefing in the House Rayburn Building B-340. Held on World Sight Day, the event will discuss groundbreaking, cost-effective health interventions that have prevented vision loss, such as vitamin A supplementation and cataract surgery. Featured speakers are:

· Kevin Frick, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Health Policy and Management, Center for Global Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

· Louis Pizzarello, M.D., Columbia University, IAPB, Vision 2020/USA (host)

International Eye Foundation is a founding member of Vision2020/USA and is a co-sponsor for the World Sight Day briefing.

To attend, RSVP your attendance to Dina Beaumont at dinabeau@aol.com or (202)530-4672.

World Sight Day is an international day of awareness held annually on the second Thursday of October to focus attention on the global issue of avoidable blindness and visual impairment.

Party Pictures - 50th Anniversary Celebration

The weather and ambiance were perfect on September 18th for guests attending our 50th Anniversary Celebration and Wine Tasting at Julia Hopping's home in Bethesda. Sipping and supping, spending time with old friends and new, talking with Ambassadors from countries where IEF has programs and at the same time raising money for the newest sustainable eye clinic currently underway in Managua, Nicaragua.

A wonderful way to celebrate 50 years of preventing blindness and saving sight in the developng world.

Photos courtesy of long time friend and supporter

of IEF - Jo A.S. Carpenter

Nicaraguan Delights at IEF's 50th Celebration

The date for IEF's 50th Anniversary Celebration and Ambassadors Wine Tasting is fast approaching. Join old friends and new at the beautiful home of Dr. & Mrs. Stephen Hopping in Bethesda, MD for an exciting afternoon tasting fine wines and festivities marking our Golden Anniversary.

Tantalize your taste buds at the buffet of wonderful dishes from Nicaragua prepared by Ambassador Eduardo Sevilla and Julia Hopping. You will be welcomed to the party by young people in brightly colored traditional Nicaraguan dress.

Enjoy a selection of fine wines offered by David and Helen Choi of Pearsons Wine and Spirits of Georgetown.

Joining us will be Ambassadors from countries where IEF is working to save sight

Our Golden Anniversary marks a half century of preventing blindness and restoring sight worldwide. Help us celebrate because you are all part of the IEF family and have helped us be who we are today!

View the Invitation here and make your reservations now!

IEF Organizes Childhood Blindness NGO Meeting

On 25 and 26 July, more than 60 participants from eye care organizations around the world (11 countries not including the US and Europe) met in Washington, DC for final reports and the official closing of the A2Z Childhood Blindness Program. IEF's Director of Programs John Barrows assisted in the designed of the curriculum with FHI Development 360 (formerly AED) staff and participated in the workshop.

Dr. Khumbo Kalua, Director of the Blantyre Institute for Community Ophthalmology (Malawi), presented results for IEF's A2Z funded research project “Finding Community Solutions to Improved Blind and Visually Impaired Children’s Access and Acceptance to Cataract Surgery in Southern Malawi.” Representatives from eye care organizations in 11 countries reviewed the objectives and accomplishments of the program whose primary aim was to reduce childhood blindness by creating greater awareness, acceptance and use of refractive error, rehabilitation and ocular surgery. After sharing the gains made, discussion moved to translating research into action, exploring new innovative strategies, identifying gaps in services and priority actions to inform future efforts.

50th Anniversary Celebration Update

IEF will celebrate 50 years of Saving Sight Worldwide on Sunday, September 18, 2011 at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Stephen Hopping in Bethesda, MD. As this will also be the Ambassadors' Wine Tasting, ambassadors from countries where IEF is active will be joining in the celebration.

We are very pleased that David and Helen Choi of Pearsons Wine and Spirits of Georgetown will be offering a selection of fine wines for tasting. With hors d'oeuvres and a silent auction the afternoon promises to be one you won't want to miss.

Reservations are $100 per person and may be made online at the IEF website or by email. Sponsorships are also available, contact Calvin Baerveldt.

Reservations

Sponsorships or Further Information