Unite For Sight Launches First Program in Peru

During May and June of 2005, a small group of volunteers, including an optometrist from England and one from Canada, established the groundwork for the first Unite for Sight Program in Cusco, Peru.  Six different locations in Peru were selected for this pilot program.  Individuals, aided by the optometrists and four student volunteers, received screenings for visual problems.  The program was coordinated in cooperation with a local NGO called Peru's Challenge.

Unite For Sight's volunteer team considered their first trip to Peru a success.  A total of 646 patients were screened, while 191 prescription eyeglasses and 141 sunglasses were distributed.  A Phase II program in Cusco is being scheduled for December and January.

About Unite For Sight

Unite For Sight® is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that empowers communities worldwide to improve eye health and eliminate preventable blindness. Unite For Sight's unwavering commitment to creating a real, lasting impact involves three types of programs: chapters in North America, international eye care outreach programs, and an annual global health conference. Unite For Sight has trained more than 4,000 volunteers who work in their local communities and abroad to provide eye health programs for those without previous access and has provided eye care services to more than 600,000 people worldwide.

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