Upcoming and Recent Eye Care Trips
Interested in joining an already planned mission? Looking for others to join your upcoming trip?
Check out some of the mission trips VOSH-ONE members are involved in below.
Upcoming Trips
Guatemala - February 2020
Potential trip - details TBA
Dominican Republic – April 2020
VOSH-ONE Trip Contact: Bina Patel, OD at patelb@neco.edu
Student VOSH NECO mission in partnership with the Batey Relief Alliance.
Nepal – Tentative Date: October 2020
VOSH-ONE Trip Contact: Derek Feifke, OD at idocderek@gmail.com
3 day trip proposed. Looking for 3-4 OD's to participate. Clinic will be held 40 minutes outside of Kathmandu.
El Salvador - Tentative Date: November 2020
VOSH-ONE Trip Contact: Jenifer Ambler, OD at ambleroptometry@gmail.com
Well established combined optometric/dental clinic to be held in San Jose Villanueva, El Salvador. 3-4 ODs needed.
Recent Trips
Dominican Republic – April 2019
VOSH-ONE Trip Contact: Bina Patel, OD
Student VOSH NECO mission in partnership with the Batey Relief Alliance.
Dominican Republic – April 6-13, 2018
VOSH-ONE Trip Contact: Bina Patel, OD
Student VOSH NECO mission in partnership with the Batey Relief Alliance and Project Manana. Saw 580 patients over 3 days.
Nicaragua – February 2, 2018
VOSH-ONETrip Contact: Joe D’Amico, OD
One week trip to Granada, Nicaragua. Dr. Lee Lerner, Dr. Joe D'Amico, Dr. Nancy Wu, and Dr. Karen Koumjian participated. Saw approximated 600 patients over 4 days at the Japanese hospital.
El Salvador – October 2017
VOSH-ONE Trip Contact: Jenifer Ambler, OD
Joint dental and optometry mission. Stayed at a retreat in San Salvador (Catholic based) premises. Very good accommodations/clinic setting - air conditioning and electricity!
Ended up being 3 days of clinic instead of 4 secondary to lost luggage. Rotary club member connection allows for long term climate controlled storage in country. Cataract surgeries were available via FUDAM on a sliding scale basis.
No issues this year with airport customs this trip.
Gang issues becoming significant.
Approx. 300 patients seen. Dr. Ed Warren and Dr. Jane Penthany also went on the trip.
Dominican Republic - March 31 - April 7, 2017
VOSH-ONE Trip Contact: Bina Patel, OD
4 day mission – 23 optometry students went on trip. 4 OD's went on trip: Dr. Jeff Ho, Dr. Jameel Kanji, Dr. Bina Patel, and Dr. Nicole Theiss.
Clinic site was at the Gildan Factory, a batey in Guerre. The patients were bused into the premises and the set up was very comfortable and supportive through the mission. Maria from the Batey Relief Alliance helped facilitate the trip.
Nicaragua - February 3-10, 2017
VOSH-ONE Trip Contact: Joe D'Amico, OD
5 day mission. 6 optometry students, 2 optometrists and 2 other volunteers participated in the trip.
About 700 patients were seen. Clinic was very nice - the best hospital in Granada. The optometrist set up a lane and moved through the patients. Also had a free day to do some sight seeing – active volcano – top of the crater – largest lake of several islands, etc. See YouTube video at top of page. YouTube video by Daniel O'Dowd.
Dominican Republic - October 13-15, 2016
VOSH-ONE Trip Contact: Ilara Donarum, OD
Santiago, Dominican Republic. Very poor community near landfill. Clinic took place in a well outfitted school. Saw approximately 370 patients, mostly children. Some glasses were custom made after the completion of the mission and shipped back to patients. Group was supported by Timberland, which has a factory nearby. Timberland supplied resource: transportation, financial support, translators, etc. Overall very successful mission and have received requests from other schools for future missions.
Haiti - November 2016
VOSH-ONE Trip Contact: Jen Hyde
Jen Hyde participated in a trip to Haiti with Diane Wilson, OD and VOSH-PA on Nov 13th. 3 optometrists, 4 optometry students, and 4 other volunteers participated in the trip. They saw patients at 5 clinic locations in the Cap Haitien area. The Newton, MA Lions Club paid for 20 patients to have cataract surgery (over $1000)!
Other trip opportunities can be found onthe VOSH International website at: https://vosh.org/get-involved/clinics-by-date/
Looking for information about an older mission trip? "Contact Us" for more information.
*If you have an upcoming or past trip that you would like added to the VOSH-ONE website,
please contact Wendy Crusberg, OD at wcrusberg@gmail.com with more information.
Copyright VOSH-ONE