Optometrist delivers eye care to 1700 people in Kenya

A domiciliary optometrist has provided eye care to an estimated 1700 people during a three-day trip to Kenya.

Kejal Shah travelled to Kisumu in Kenya to deliver an eye camp she organised, during which she provided eye care and dispensed spectacles to people of all ages, from babies to teenagers and older people.

The trip was the second time that Shah, who provides domiciliary eye care across Surrey, Kent and South London, had delivered eye care in Kisumu, having set up a similar clinic in 2023.

Shah anticipated high demand for eye care during her trip, having seen around 1300 people two years ago.

Prior to this year’s camp, which took place in August, the optometrist spent 18 months collecting donated spectacles, shipping 3000 pairs to Kisumu ahead of the trip.

Delivering the eye camp, Shah was joined by members of her family, and was supported by two optometrists, a team of 10 volunteers, eight nurses and a local ophthalmologist.

While Shah provided refraction testing for those visiting the eye camp, local nurses dispensed glasses to those who required them. Any complex cases were referred to the ophthalmologist for review.

Across the three days, as well as seeing around 1700 patients, the team dispensed 1000 pairs of spectacles, treated 400 people for minor eye conditions, such as allergies and infections, and performed 80 cataract surgeries.

Due to demand the team ran clinics for 13–14 hours each day.

Reflecting on the trip, Shah, who grew up in Kisumu, said: “It was wonderful to go back to Kisumu again and sponsor another eye camp after such a fantastic trip in 2023.”

She shared: “My parents helped with the organisation – we spent four hours on the day before the first clinic measuring and sorting all the glasses by prescription as well as training the volunteers and helpers. They also raised awareness of the camp, distributing flyers and posters advertising the forthcoming clinic across the city and its neighbouring towns and villages. It was a real family effort.”

Speaking about the patients who were treated, Shah acknowledged that many had travelled far distances to attend the clinic.

“It was rewarding and humbling to know that our work helped change the lives of so many people unable to afford to feed themselves, let alone pay for eye care or medical bills,” she said.