Seeing is believing, a provincial eye care project in Shanxi, has subsidized children from poor families with eye diseases to the tune of 2.13 million yuan ($337,868) since it was launched in Taiyuan in June 2013, according to Shanxi Eye Hospital.
The project has so far reduced the charges of, or paid in full for 587 different operations, helping children recover their sight.
Over the past four years, the project has carried out eye tests in 973 schools in 15 counties in Taiyuan, Datong, Jinzhong and Jincheng cities, with 1.3 million students receiving checkups. In rural areas, 753 children with visual problems have been identified through the screening.
Services including training eye care professionals, and providing health education in schools has also taken place.
In addition, the project has established a resource center for people with poor eyesight at Shanxi Eye Hospital, as well as 11 vision clinics in eight counties offering eye tests and providing medical equipment.
More than 300 children with poor vision have enjoyed treatment free of charge, and 300 typoscopes have been dispensed from the vision resource center and vision clinics. Children from families in financial difficulties were given a total of 14,034 pairs of glasses worth 1.26 million yuan.
Seeing is believing in Shanxi, sponsored by Standard Chartered Bank, is supported by four international NGOs including Orbis International and Helen Keller International. The project is committed to establishing a province-city-county eye care network for children in Shanxi, improving children’s vision and life prospects. The project will conclude in May 2018.
