THE FUNDACIÓN FERNÁNDEZ-VEGA IN PERU
A team from the Fundación Fernández-Vega, which includes Dr Tomás Parra and the optic-optometrist Henar Morchón, visited from the 28th June to the 9th July to the city of Ayacucho, also known as Huamanga, to collaborate with the association ‘Ayudando a Caminar con Covadonga en Perú’ (ACOVAPERU). This association is headed by Sister Estrella Valcárcel Muñiz, native of Asturias and better known as Madre Covadonga, Dominican Missionary who’s been in Ayacucho for 62 years working with people at risk of exclusion, as well as helping handicapped people and those with eyesight problems.
Throughout the duration of its stay, the foundation attended over 500 patients, from Ayacucho and surrounding areas, at Hospital Regional de Huamanga. As well as complete ophthalmologic check-ups, they prescribed glasses and drugs to treat or prevent eye diseases.
For the success of the mission, the expedition transported from Asturias to Peru all kinds of ophthalmic material: over 600 glasses (pre-mounted lenses, prescription glasses and sun glasses) that were given on an ad hoc basis, as well as intraocular lenses to perform cataract surgeries and a wide range of drugs such as vitamins and antibiotic, dilating, antiglaucoma, humectant and antiallergenic eye drops amongst others.