AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to the charitable organizations selected by customers with no additional cost to you.

Please consider donating to Sights on Health through AmazonSmile. It’s so easy! Click here to link up with our charity!

Invite friends and family to support us in this simple and free way!

Thank you in advance for giving to Sights on Health. #StartWithaSmile

Sights on Health provides cataract surgery, eye care and medical missions to the villages of Peru, Ecuador and other regions in need. Physicians and other health professionals from across the U.S. along with medical, optometry, pharmacology and public health students volunteer their time towards this effort. Since 2012:

The proceeds will help us help more patients for our upcoming 2020 missions to South Dakota, Peru and Ecuador.

Please consider supporting our cause and thank you for you’re support. Click here to donate to our campaign.

Riobamba, Ecuador
September 21-29, 2019

The countless hours of preparation during the nine months leading up to the mission enabled our Sights on Health team to perform 99 surgeries: cataract removals with implants & for the first time, glaucoma surgeries; all free of charge. Our patients included farmers from rural Andean villages, a teacher from the Amazon, people from Riobamba, laborers from the coastal region, and a Venezuelan refugee. The gift of sight empowers individuals to live happy and healthy lives. With restored vision, the patients we served will be able to ensure the productivity of their farms, care for their children and grandchildren, and lead productive lives.

Our team transported eye surgical supplies worth more than $170,000. Alcon and Surgical Eye Expeditions donated ~ $150,000 worth of the transported supplies.  The nonprofit organizations FIBUSPAM and Partners for Andean Community Health lead by Paul Martel, David Guacho and Sarah Marjane hosted our team of 16 members for the week.  Their ophthalmologist Dr. Carlos Gonzalez and his team screened patients from the surrounding rural areas in the months leading up to our mission. Having the opportunity to work with their extraordinary Ecuadorian team and our USA team was an honor. After our second year of collaboration, we have not only developed a fine working relationship but a friendship as well. One that we hope will continue to deepen through the years.

What we have accomplished is a tribute to all of our team. Each of them displayed a professional work ethic during the long hours of work and their true caring nature was evident for all to see.  Sights on Health, Inc. would like to thank the efforts of each of the participants for the donation of their time, their talents and their passion for helping others that are in need.

2019 Sights on Health Surgical Team

Debra Messina, M.D. – Team Leader
Michael Sable, M.D. – Surgical Director

Cathy Roberts – Administrator
Christina Rager, M.D. – Critical Care Specialist
David Krebs, M.D. – Ophthalmologist
Allison Angelilli, M.D. – Ophthalmologist
Joseph Kristan, M.D. – Ophthalmology resident, Montefiore Medical Center
Shashi Bala Muttreja, R.N.
Alexandra Thanasoulis, R.N.
Lorena Chinchilla, COT
Frank Garcia, COT
Julia Colmenares – Nursing Assistant
Ken Roberts – Sterilization
Pallavi Tatapudy – Fourth-Year Medical Student, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University
Ginger Thanasoulis – Translator
Michael McDonald – Alcon Representative
Lawrence Miller
Carolyn Cohen

An anonymous donation funded the majority of the operating costs for the eye surgical mission in memory of Marc S. Sablow. The Directors & Officers of Sights on Health, Inc. thank the donor for their generosity. It enabled our team to truly make a difference in the lives of so many people. 

Debra Messina, M.D., President & Co-Founder, Michael D. Sable, M.D., Surgical Director, George N. Coritsidis, M.D., Medical Director, Catherine Roberts, Secretary, Joseph Ng, M.D., James A. Rienzo, Director of Industry Relations and Andrew J. Maggiolo, Treasurer

To experience our day to day on this mission, click here to read the detailed blogs by Pallavi Tatapudy.

Today was a day of rest and adventure following a week of clinical activities. Some of our team members enjoyed a day exploring Quito, Ecuador before our flight at night back to the United States, while about ten of us were interested in hiking the Cotopaxi volcano. We woke up early and walked to the meeting spot a few blocks away from our hotel, La Casa Sol. We met our tour guides for the day who taught us interesting and important information as we traveled. For example, the section of the Pan-American Highway that passes through Ecuador is called “La Avenida de Volcanes.” There are four ecosystems in the national park, including grasslands, super grasslands, high mountains, and glaciers. Cotopaxi means “neck of the moon.” Volcanic activity is constantly monitored and safety precautions are taken. The national park was closed to any touristic activity for over one year due to increased volcanic activity in 2015 and 2016, and was reopened in October 2017.

The tour bus then stopped at a restaurant for breakfast, where we enjoyed pancakes with papaya and granola, omelets, bread and butter, juice, tea, and coffee. We bought hats and gloves there in preparation for the cold weather closer to the top of the volcano. We entered the national park and took a memorable group picture at a scenic point.

There were two paths to climb the volcano, a shorter one with a steeper incline and a longer one with a more gradual incline. Dr. Joseph Kristan and I climbed the steeper path and met our team members near the glaciers. We then rested at the refuge center which was located at an altitude of approximately 16,000 feet. Some adventurous folk then rode mountain bikes down the side of the volcano in weather that varied from cloudy to hailing to sunny. After many hours of intense physical activity, we then filled our stomachs with delicious potato soup, chicken, cold pasta salad, seasoned broccoli and cauliflower, and juice.

Debra Messina, M.D. – Team Leader

We got back on the bus and finished our journey. We arrived at a local artisan market in Quito by 3:30 pm and stayed till 4:45 pm. We then drove to the new hotel we would be staying at for one night, called La Casa Sol. We checked in to our rooms, relaxed, and ate dinner. Two key members of our team left for the airport at night – Dr. Allison Angelilli, a skilled ophthalmologist who made it possible to perform three glaucoma surgeries during this mission, and Shashi Muttreja, a knowledgeable registered nurse with years of experience in the operating room. We are grateful for their major contributions and look forward to working together in the coming future. For now, it’s time to sleep. I have a volcano to hike tomorrow. ¡Hasta mañana!

“Always give without remembering and always receive without forgetting.” -Brian Tracy

This morning, we left Hotel Zeus promptly by 7:30 am. I entered the clinic and paused at the front door one last time to read the sign describing the free eye surgeries that would be provided this week at the clinic. I then walked up the stairs to find Señor José and his wife, Martha, holding a large colorful bag full of bread and pastries from a well-known local bakery. Señor José asked me to find Dr. David Krebs who performed his surgery yesterday so that he could give him the bag in hand to share with all of us as a gesture of appreciation. It was clear that we had become family through this experience. What a start to the day. ¡Que bonito!

As I walked towards the post-operative recovery area, another patient from yesterday reached out for my hands and said in Spanish, “My prayer to God is for Him to bless you with even more intelligence and love so that you can continue to serve humanity and the people of Ecuador.” After this, each patient waiting for a follow-up appointment with Dr. Carlos Gonzalez and Cesar Gonzalez then stood up for a hug and repeatedly expressed their gratitude and good wishes. The waiting room was instead bustling with positivity and optimism this morning. I felt even more energized for the day ahead. I then observed Rocio Asitimbay, a senior nurse at FIBUSPAM, adding to the good energy as well by taking care of patients with love and respect before they entered the sterile area for further evaluation and surgery. Two hard-working nurses who were critical to the success of the mission, Ana Lema and Jimena Paca, also extended this type of exceptional care to patients.

Our team was called upstairs to the third floor of the clinic to eat lunch in shifts. We ate pasta and vegetable soup, seasoned chicken, rice, cheese, and fried dough with a sweet honey sauce.

By 2:50 pm, we finished surgeries on the last sixteen patients of the mission! We cleaned up the clinic and packed the mission suitcases till about 4:00 pm. FIBUSPAM kindly offered to store our key equipment and supplies in bins that we can use for next year’s mission when we return. Michael McDonald, Dr. Joseph Kristan, and I took inventory of those items for our records.

We then loaded all of the mission suitcases onto the bus and bid a bittersweet farewell to the clinic. We got back to Hotel Zeus by 4:25 pm and quickly unloaded the luggage to be safely stored till tomorrow when we would leave Riobamba for Quito. With roughly an hour before we had to leave for the evening celebration, our team members went up to their rooms to get ready. We left the hotel by 5:40 pm to pick up our FIBUSPAM and Partners for Andean Community Health family by 6:20 pm and then drove to “Hostería La Andaluza.” Everyone was relaxed and able to unwind during the bus ride and dinner, which were filled with laughter and love. Once we reached the hacienda, we were fortunate to receive a full tour of the property. The impressive artwork and architecture captured our eyes and hearts.

We sat down in the main dining hall and began dinner by 8:00 pm. We enjoyed plantain chips with different salsas, potato soup with avocado, beans, and cheese, mixed vegetables, meat platters, quinoa with vegetables, pasta, and three types of cake.

Around 8:15 pm, speeches were given by Wilson Rosales, our incredible tour guide, David Guacho, the passionate co-founder of FIBUSPAM, and Dr. Carlos Gonzalez, the ophthalmologist at FIBUSPAM. Lucy Miller-Suchet, a Princeton in Latin America Fellow, handed out certificates. We were also gifted honorary scarves with FIBUSPAM and PACH patches sewed onto them. The in-country clinic staff was then awarded certificates. Dr. Michael Sable, a skilled ophthalmologist, board member of Sights on Health, Inc., and our organization’s Surgical Director, gave an inspiring speech about the value and purpose of such mission work in his life and how it inspires him to continue contributing for the good of humanity. He was joined in the front of the room by Dr. Debra Messina, co-founder of Sights on Health, Inc., and Cathy Roberts, a dedicated administrator of the organization. Everyone in the room stood up, looked to the left and to the right, and thanked one another. These were not strangers, but my global family whose fortitude did not waver; a family that addresses disparities together, stays together.

The celebration continued with a special musical performance by a group of talented Ecuadorian artists. We clapped and cheered as team members took on the dance floor. After many exchanges of good wishes and gratitude, we headed back to Hotel Zeus for one last night in Riobamba, Ecuador. ¡Buenas noches, mi familia!

“Leadership is not about control but service. It’s not about power but empowerment.” - Myles Munroe

With full stomachs from a hearty breakfast at Hotel Zeus, our team left the hotel by 7:25 am. When we reached the clinic, we noticed that the entrance was crowded with family members who were eager for their loved ones to receive care. On the second floor of the clinic, there were lines of patients awaiting pupil dilations and post-operative follow-up visits.

Surgeries began at the clinic by 8:15 am. One of our first patients was Señor José, a 47-year-old teacher of social sciences and Spanish in a middle school for 10 years. He described that it is important to have patience and befriend the students who range from ages twelve to fourteen. Being a good teacher to kids of this age involves talking to and playing with them at a level that aligns with their maturity and mentality. The school is located two hours away from Riobamba in a community called Guarguallá. His career is an integral part of his identity and has been affected by his vision problems. For three years, Señor José had one cataract in the left eye and another in the right eye. He used glasses in an attempt to manage, but when his vision worsened to a point that made him have to work less, he decided he needed to seek out opportunities for surgery. His left eye vision was worse, so he was operated on in February. He had been nervous about potential post-operative complications, but the recovery period was smooth. With a good first experience, Señor José started to enthusiastically seek out an opportunity for another surgery for his right eye. That is when he heard about Sights on Health coming to Ecuador in September over the radio and from his close friends. Señor José expressed that this whole journey has proved to him that God exists and has a plan to take care of him. He also described the role of FIBUSPAM in uplifting those living in poverty in Ecuador. As we talked more, he shared that his diabetes has been difficult to manage because he has had a hard time paying for daily medication. This adds significant stress to his life. My goal was to empower this patient through education and thus, I discussed the non-pharmacologic ways he can control his diabetes to a certain extent through regular exercise and changes in diet. I also emphasized the precautions he can take after today’s surgery in order to decrease the risk of complications and hopefully reduce some stress. Señor José shared that this opportunity for eye surgery at no cost has lifted a weight off of his shoulders and given him and his family a little space to breathe.

Around lunchtime, there was a wonderful experience with another Señor José who was about 18 years older. Dr. David Krebs was thrilled with this patient who had stayed still during surgery and precisely followed instructions which made the surgery finish efficiently and safely. The patient expressed his gratitude to the doctor and expressed that he wants to gift the clinic with a basket of bread tomorrow when he comes for his post-operative follow-up appointment. The faces of both Dr. David Krebs and Señor José were beaming!

Lunch was delicious today, consisting of cabbage soup with potatoes, rice, eggs, tomato and avocado salad, fish fillet, blackberry juice, and plantain chips.

After lunch, we continued working into the evening. That is when we had the pleasure of meeting Señor Juan Cruz, a 63-year-old male in need of cataract surgery on his left eye. I learned that faith is very important to him. I observed him praying continuously while awaiting surgery and even after, to thank God for this opportunity.

We also met a jolly 69-year-old male named Señor Luis whose joy was infectious – the good kind of infectious! He repeatedly thanked our team and stated that he felt extremely happy in our care. Señor Luis was enthusiastic to take photos with several members of the team to commemorate this important moment in his life.

By 5:45 pm, our team completed 26 surgeries. We finished in good time and shared several meaningful moments with patients and their family members today.

We left the clinic around 6:35 pm and boarded the bus for the hotel. On the bus, Dr. Debra Messina shared some impressive statistics with us regarding the work we have been doing so far. From Sunday to Wednesday, our team has performed 85 procedures on 82 patients. What a joy! We are greatly looking forward to another clinic day tomorrow. ¡Ciao!

“No one has ever become poor by giving.” -Anne Frank

Today, a few key team members reached the clinic early around 7:15 am to start the registration, intake, and pupil dilation processes. The majority of us left Hotel Zeus by 7:25 am. When we walked in to the clinic, we were delightfully greeted by David Guacho, Wilson Rosales, Sarah Marjane, Lucy Miller-Suchet, Rocio Asitimbay, and Dr. Rodrigo Hinojosa who were laughing together like the loving family that they are. I thought to myself, “How lucky we are to join this hard-working and humble family.”

The area outside the operating rooms was bustling all morning due to the high volume of new patients and returning post-operative patients. The 20 patients from yesterday arrived promptly to be evaluated by Dr. Carlos Gonzalez, the main ophthalmologist at FIBUSPAM, and his son, Cesar Gonzalez, who is an optometrist.

One of the patients who was waiting there with a wide grin was Señor Oswaldo. He waved excitedly to me as I peered my head out to call the family members of a patient who had just finished surgery and was deemed stable enough for discharge. I gestured for Señor Oswaldo to come over and we exchanged good wishes. He told me that last night went very smoothly and that he is eager to have his vision assessed today. Señor Oswaldo made a strong impression in my mind for the way he altruistically assisted several patients in the clinic yesterday who were waiting next to him, offering to pull their socks up higher or explaining the benefits of staying calm before surgery. He provided an even-mindedness and serene atmosphere for himself and others which we all appreciated. I wish Señor Oswaldo good luck with his recovery and am glad I had the chance to affirm him and express that his helpful nature is a great quality that I hope to imbibe as well. ¡Buena suerte, amigo!

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” -Martin Luther King Jr.

I woke up today in Ecuador rested and refreshed to a view that filled me with awe. The volcano in the distance stood tall and proud, reminding me of the information Wilson shared with us yesterday about Ecuador’s unique geography. I kept this view in mind as I enjoyed a hearty breakfast at Hotel Zeus.

After boarding the bus by 7:15 am, our team was in for a treat once again when we had the opportunity to learn from Wilson. He explained the history of the Incas in Ecuador and the differences in languages across the country. We learned that there are 14 indigenous nationalities in Ecuador. Living in the Andean highlands, the indigenous communities have adapted to the high altitude, tending to be shorter in stature and to have increased lung capacities. We were all engrossed in this information and before we knew it, we had reached the clinic.

Using the insights from yesterday, we began the day’s work in a more coordinated, efficient manner. The ten patients from yesterday were seen from 7:45 am onwards for post-operative follow-up and eye exams.

One such patient was Franklin, a 54-year-old male farmer who experienced a severe trauma to his left eye from a metal wire while working in the fields. The corneal laceration that resulted was operated on in July of this year. The patient came to the clinic yesterday for cataract surgery on the same eye that occurred after the trauma. The patient was in good spirits and was accompanied by his family. During the follow-up visit, he took the tape and bandage off his left eye. The room then erupted with laughter. Tears of happiness streamed down the cheeks of the patient and his family who were overwhelmed with gratitude for the miracle of vision restoration. Hugs were exchanged and a wave of optimism spread throughout the clinic. It was truly a “sight to see!” During this encounter, our ophthalmologists, surgery technicians, nurses, and volunteers continued to work cooperatively to complete new cases and multiply this joy.

Meanwhile, the dynamic duo of Ken Roberts and Ana Lucia Lema Curichumbi was busy in the sterilization room. The sterilization team serves as the backbone of the mission because the surgeries are not possible without sterile instrumentation.

A while later, I noticed Ken sitting down on a stool… or so it seemed. For our collective enjoyment through this blog, I captured my confusion and eventual realization that Ken was actually doing wall-sits for a while to strengthen his legs and core. Are there any soccer teams in Ecuador that could use an extra player?

Our team ate lunch in shifts between 12:15 pm and 2:30 pm to maintain the flow of the clinic. We enjoyed barley soup, rice, lentils, omelets, chicken, and blackberry juice. After lunch, I walked up to the roof of the clinic for some fresh air and was stunned once again by the gorgeous views. It was a cloudy day so the volcano I had seen in the morning at the hotel was playing hide-and-seek, but I was able to appreciate striking mountains that lie adjacent to the volcano.

By 7:10 pm, we had completed twenty surgeries – double that of yesterday! We prepared for the next day, boarded the bus, and returned to the hotel. Some of us ate a wonderful dinner of pasta, fries, garlic bread, fruit, and ice cream at Hotel Zeus, while others enjoyed lobster and steak at a nearby restaurant. We all used the time to decompress, bond, and relax together before the start of another fulfilling day tomorrow. ¡Hasta mañana, familia!