A team from OHSU Casey Eye Institute spent the last week in American Samoa checking kids’ eyes at local schools, in partnership with the Department of Health and the Lions Club of Pago Pago.
Dr. Kellyn Bellsmith led the team, conducting multiple eye clinics throughout the last week, including in-school screenings at Montessori at Fatuoaiga, St. Theresa’s in Leone, and Samoa Baptist Academy. More than 300 students were screened for a variety of eye condition.
About 9% of the kids screened need glasses, and three children were found to have more serious eye conditions that will need additional treatment. The team also held clinics at LBJ Medical Center for follow-up care.
These clinics are part of a larger effort that’s been underway for the past two years. So far, the team has screened over 1,500 children across the territory. The goal is to eventually check every child between ages 3 and 9 every year.
Dr. Bellsmith explained that early eye screenings matter because kids often don’t know they have vision problems. Catching issues early makes them easier to treat.
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The screenings are a partnership between the visiting doctors, local health officials, and the Lions Club, which has a long history of supporting vision care programs around the world.
