The Ethiopian eye clinic helping locals access affordable glasses

Zinash is a 28-year-old who has been working at the Arba Minch Eye Clinic for six years. She first joined the hospital as an IT technician but became interested in the ophthalmic role when the clinic first opened in 2014. After passing the entrance exam, Zinash received training from Orbis for more than two months, then from Sun Optics, a leading eyewear manufacturer and distributor in Ethiopia.

Right from the first day, the clinic proved popular with locals. Previously, there was only one private eyeglass provider in the entire town. Now, patients can seek out a wide variety of affordable eyeglass frames, and the association with the hospital gives people confidence in the quality of the frames.

Another unique aspect of the workshop is its self-sufficiency. Zinash tells us that the revenue generated from services is used to resupply the workshop, maintaining a consistent supply of glasses all year round.

One of Zinash's favorite aspects of her job is seeing how easily a simple pair of glasses can change someone's life. "I have witnessed a lot of people coming here to get their eyeglasses, and most people do not think their vision problem would be solved by the eyeglass they are wearing. As soon as they wear their glasses, I have seen so many people’s happiness."

Tirukelem and her 18-year-old daughter, Hiyab, live in Arba Minch and came into the hospital to check Hiyab's eyes before she left for university. Hiyab had been having difficulties with her vision in the daylight, and after the check-up, she and her mother were both prescribed solar glasses.

Tirukelem said: “I have been living in this town for a long time. We did not have this many choices when we wanted to buy eyeglasses. As you can see, they have plenty of options to choose from. This really helped me and my community because having this shop in this town meant it avoided extra cost with travel to the main city. Besides the price is affordable for us. We are very happy.”

Amarech is a 60-year-old mother who lives in Mirab Abaya District in Southern Ethiopia. Amarech is not new to the eye health center after first getting her eyes checked in 2018. When she purchased her first pair of glasses though, she went to a private shop outside of the hospital that was more expensive.

Now four years later, Amarech needed another pair of glasses, but this time she heard about the clinic that Orbis helped set up.

Amarech’s daughter said: “We heard from our neighbours about the availability of the eyeglasses within the hospital that an organization, which is called Orbis, has established. They told us that the eyeglasses are being sold for a fair price which will not hurt our pocket. We also heard about the quality and variety of the frames. Besides, having the workshop within the compound is very helpful and timesaving for us.”

A special thank-you to all of our supporters and partners who have helped improve access to eye care in Ethiopia. With your help, we can continue to provide services like the Arba Minch Eye Clinic, so everyone can access the eye care they deserve.