Roatán is one of Honduras’ Caribbean Bay islands and many people on the island have no affordable access to basic medical care. In 2005, Dr. Darin Bowers along with Ben Rosenthal, began providing much-needed eye care to the poorest region of Roatan, from general eye exams and glasses to the treatment of disease and advanced cataract surgery. Now their non-profit organization, Health In Sight Ministry, has an ongoing clinic open 2-3 days / week employing a local Honduran general practitioner and a RN and administrator that handles indigent untreated health issues, and currently they have three Ophthalmologist-led groups who go to Roatan Honduras each year to do eye exams and various surgeries.

What is attractive about the current setup is:

• It is a safe environment for families (sons and daughters can participate in the trip).
• Most days there are flights direct from Houston, Atlanta or Miami to Roatán.
• There are great options for lodging -- from low level dive resort amenities to high end resorts not too far away.
• Most patients are bilingual.
• The clinic has an OR, portable Alcon Laureate phaco unit, decent Zeiss operating microscope, eye stretcher, surgical chair and two nicely equipped eye exam lanes.
• It has a good assortment of Alcon donated IOL’s and an onsite flash autoclave.
• There are plenty of volunteer interpreters for the small Spanish-speaking population.

It makes for a really good opportunity for a team (including family) to visit, work, and play while helping those in the greatest need.

Their greatest need is for willing Ophthalmologists to gather a team and volunteer their time to provide critically needed eye care -- preferably on an annual basis to develop the relationships the Bowers and the other teams enjoy. Teams are free go any time of the year and Dr. Bowers is able to help coordinate your trip. They do ask for surgeons to bring their own instruments that they are used to and to bring supplies for the Laureate, IOL’s, etc., which Alcon gladly helps with.

It's less than a 3 hour flight from either Houston or Miami and it is in the Central Time Zone!

If you are interested or want more information, visit the website or contact CEN at info@christianeye.net.