ONE PERSON AT A TIME

What a week! This trip was filled with many different emotions and friendships  made that will last a lifetime.

 I just want to share an experience that made my trip more memorable. Near the end of the day as the line and commotion of the Peruvian people started to die down and the fireworks for the soccer match began, I met a lady I will never forget. I was dispensing glasses and I came upon this lady near the back of the line...quiet, straight faced, callused hands, torn clothes flip flops and wrinkles all over her face. I called her to sit down on one of the chairs we had laid out for the people receiving glasses. I looked at her sheet and I saw that my mom had written a prescription for her near vision only (readers). After about five minutes of trying to find the right pair I finally walked back to her excited to give away my very first pair of glasses in dispensing; which is a real honour in the TWECS community as only the hardest working kids get to hand out the glasses.  I put on her glasses but her straight face was still not changed or satisfied. As I walked away disappointed in the expression of my very first patient she got up and followed me and started speaking to me in spanish. I picked up a few words and I realized she said she wanted glasses for walking. I took her paper and saw she only saw fingers at 4ft away from her eyes. Bewildered i looked at her paper and realized she had cataracts. I called over one of the senior opticians, Trina and she told me to try a +1.00 but it is highly unlikely that it would work. So I grabbed a +1.00 pair of eyeglasses and guided her over to the visual acuity charts which is used to measure distance vision and instantly as she put on the glasses her straight face expression changed for a split second to an excited and surprised look. As I measured her distance vision(lejos) she went from counting fingers at 3ft. to seeing 20/40 at 10 ft. She gave me a hug and walked away. I walked away satisfied and happy with my work because I may have changed her life forever with that pair of eyeglasses.  And I hope to change more lives just like I did today. Making the world a better place one person at a time.

Evan March

Senior Student, St. Thomas More Colegiate