Batey Relief Alliance prevent blindness among Dominican Republic’s poorest

Santo Domingo.- As part of its Blindness Prevention program, the Batey Relief Alliance (BRA) joins forces with the Student Volunteer Optometrists for Service of Humanity of the New England College of Optometry (SVOSH-NECO) to bring to the Dominican Republic a group of 25 students, faculty and ophthalmologists to deliver critical eye care and prescription eyeglasses to 1,200 children and adults with severe eye problems.

At a cost of more than $200,000, and in its nineth consecutive year, the five-day mission will take place from April 11-15 in the Municipal District of Sabana Grande de Boya, Monte Plata province and will draw crowds of hundreds of people that will travel far away to take advantage of this once-in-a-life-time opportunity to check or treat their vision and receive a pair of eyeglasses-all free of charge.

BRA’s CEO, Ulrick Gaillard commented that the optometry volunteer group is fully equipped and self-sufficient, and will travel with sophisticated machines, thousands of dollars in medicines, eye drops, eyeglasses and supplies.

Patients who need follow-up or specialized care or custom-made eyeglasses will be referred to BRA’s medical center located inside Batey Cinco Casas where complete optometric and ophthalmology care is provided to hundreds year round.