More than 800 people with intellectual disabilities received free eye care in Barcelona.

Barcelona, October 2011.- Agreed more than 800 people with intellectual disabilities, past 14 and 15 October in Barcelona to eye exams free of charge to evaluate Visual capabilities, detecting refractive problems receive treatment or optical compensation recommendation. In cases in which it was necessary, received, in addition, adapted to their tastes and needs glasses.

The double working day, which counted with the collaboration of the official College of opticians Optometrists of Catalonia, has been driven by open their eyes, an organization non-profit that aims to improve the visual quality of people with intellectual disabilities, 5 per cent of which manifested severe visual problems, from 0.2% of the rest of population, according to who.

One of the main activities carried out opens his eyes is this annual gathering which, under the name see and you’ll see ”, it offered free examinations prescribed and handed glasses to people with special intellectual needs.

Opens your eyes has done more than 3,000 eye reviews has prescribed and delivered more than 1,300 glasses in meetings that have taken place in Orense, Madrid, Murcia, Seville or Figueres (Girona), among other cities Spanish.

The meeting of this year was held in the IMO, which was attended by more than 800 people from special education schools, protected housing, occupational centres, foundations and associations in the various areas of disability.

To reach this population, opens his eyes has counted with the collaboration of Dincat (Discapacitat property Catalunya), group that works with over 300 partners, in which 7,000 professionals care for 31,000 people with intellectual disabilities. The great success of response has overflowed the forecasts and has made nearly 360 people have been on waiting list, which is why the organization arises again in Barcelona in 2012.

Test track

During the meeting, participants went through a circuit, in which undergoing a scan measurement of graduation tests of visual acuity with or without glasses, evidence of bilateral vision, evidence of refraction and ocular health, as well as otoscopias to detect problems of accumulation of wax in the ear or perforation of eardrum. In the end, was to the attendees of a comprehensive report with recommendations for, if it is felt that they must attend a review with the specialist. Participants needing graduation, which tend to be between 30 and 40 per cent of the total, will be sent by mail, centres or organizations that work with them, a pair of glasses with frame and lenses organic and unbreakable, in a period of approximately two months.

Generally, the controls are used to to update ” the number of diopters of people already using glasses or to detect emerging refractive problems. However, in some cases been detected also a high level of diopters not diagnosed, which has enabled, with simple glasses of high graduation, return vision ” to people that lived resignadas with very low levels of vision or a supposed blindness.

According to Ernesto Marco, Vice President opens his eyes, much of the evidence we do during the day pose special difficulties with certain participants, because of their disability, are not able to remain motionless, follow the instructions, communicate, etc. Therefore the presence of two volunteers in each test, one of them, is necessarily required with experience in this event ”. Altogether, the appointment counted with the participation of one hundred volunteers opens his eyes, between optometrists, ophthalmologists, Audiologists, occupational therapists, psychologists and other professionals with extensive experience in the field of disability and the Optometry. Likewise, the presence and management of equipment of last generation has been possible thanks to the collaboration of different companies in the sector optometry and the audiometry, among others.

In addition to the revisions, participants could enjoy while waiting their turn, playing with inflatables, taking part in workshops of painting or other games and activities organized by the occupational therapists Association.

why in the IMO?

The Ocular microsurgery Institute has been chosen as focal point of come and you will see ” in Barcelona for his high eye level, the extent and equipment of its facilities and its location in a strategic and well-communicated place. The new headquarters of the IMO, which relocated in 2009, assured the best attention 800 persons with disabilities have undergone revisions. The lobby on the ground floor, destined to host professional conferences, hosted on this occasion the various boxes that formed the test track, while the terrace and the garden are located on the same floor, went to playground. In addition to the facilities, the IMO also placed at the disposal of open their eyes a great part of his team of ophthalmologists and optometrists optical that, in a disinterested way, collaborated on eye exams.

But the linking of the opens his eyes and IMO not only responds to installations and high professional capacity offered by the Institute, but also to the philosophy of the IMO, one of whose core values is to cooperate selflessly in the visual improvement and quality of life of the population, either in the poorest areas of the planet, through the Ulls del món Foundation, or its most immediate surroundings, through information campaigns and prevention, which include free fixes sporadic.