Brighter lives for children in Ethiopia as training project wraps

Our amazing team of Volunteer Faculty enhanced the skills of local eye teams in strabismus (misalignment of the eyes) to reduce childhood blindness and vision impairment in the country.

In partnership with Hawassa University, vital skills and knowledge were shared to better manage advanced cases of pediatric strabismus and improve the lives of children long after the training is over.

Over the course of the week-long program, 16 training participants including three ophthalmologists, three anesthesiology staff, five nurses, and five optometrists received hands-on training thanks to Orbis volunteers—Dr. Donal Brosnahan, Dr. Tony McAllen, Dr. Ghalib Mukadam, and Irma Casale.

35 patients (29 children and 6 adults) were screened on the first day resulting in 22 (20 children and 2 adults) having sight-correcting surgery.

Gallery: Pictures from a successful three-week ophthalmic training project in Hawassa, Ethiopia.

Orbis Volunteer Faculty Dr. Ghalib Mukadam told us, “In the UK, strabismus surgeries are provided free of charge, but in Ethiopia, children who are unable to access the treatment they need, will live their whole lives with the condition. People with strabismus often experience double vision, headaches and other uncomfortable symptoms but they also feel that they are treated differently because of how they look. Children with strabismus often tilt their heads to help to correct their double vision. It’s so rewarding to see the patient positioned straight for the first time after their operation.”

Long time Orbis volunteer and superstar nurse, Irma Casale said, “Young people with strabismus can be bullied and it’s harder for them to play with other children because of their squint. It’s rewarding to be able to restore the sight of children with this condition. It’s beneficial to teach different techniques and share expertise to trainees in low-and middle-income countries which do not have access to the same training as the UK. I’m still in touch with a nurse I helped to train in Vietnam in 2018. She has just told me that she’s graduated as an optometrist. As a woman, I like to inspire other women through sharing skills and knowledge.”

Strabismus is a common childhood condition which causes the eyes to look in different directions when focusing. If not detected and treated early, it can have a detrimental and permanent effect on vision—potentially leading to blindness. At the same time, children with strabismus are at higher risk of anxiety and depression.

But there’s hope! Working with local hospital partners, our team of Volunteer Faculty members travel to countries like Ethiopia to bring crucial in-person learning experiences to eye professionals in under-resourced communities.

Local teams gain critical skills for delivering eye care—skills that can be transferred to their colleagues and help improve the quality of care for generations to come.

A huge thank you to our wonderful supporters making an enormous sight-saving difference in communities across Ethiopia. Thanks to local eye teams learning best-in-class corrective techniques and gaining confidence in treating strabismus, more children can receive the quality sight-saving care they need to thrive.