A life-changing mission is underway in Saint Lucia as a team of ocular specialists provides much-needed prosthetic eye services to those in need. With treatments valued at over USD$55,000, patients who would otherwise struggle to afford this care are receiving a new lease on life.

For many individuals living with vision loss, access to specialized care is out of reach due to high costs. But thanks to the Caribbean Ocularist Guild, led by Philip Bowen, dozens of Saint Lucians are now receiving custom-fitted ocular prostheses free of charge.

“We're back here to start fitting more ocular prostheses for people on the island and maintaining the current devices that are here because the service is not offered by people here on the island. Although this visit is a bit different as we are actually training staff to maintain these devices while we're away for our two-year stint. When it comes to the ocular devices, we're doing about $55,000 worth of work US for the people of the island,” said Bowen.

This initiative is a game-changer. Without it, patients would need to travel abroad—an expense many simply cannot afford.

“So the ocularists are providing an important service for people who, in Saint Lucia, we say have 'false eyes.' They have to use these prostheses after having their eyes removed, and these devices are costly. If they have to go to the United States or other countries to access these services, it costs a lot of money, and simply put, many of our people can't afford it,” explained Anthony Avril, Executive Director of the Saint Lucia Blind Welfare Association (SLBWA).

Since their arrival on March 13, the team has already seen 16 patients and expects to fit around 30 by the end of their visit. In addition to crafting new prosthetic eyes, they are also maintaining over 100 existing devices for patients across the island.

“This team includes Americans and Canadians, and they are providing these services out of their own pockets,” Avril added.

“We're looking to make around 15 to 20 prosthetic eyes based on the need, as well as maintaining the other devices that are already here on the island. We have roughly around 100 patients in Saint Lucia,” said Bowen.

Beyond the immediate medical benefits, the psychological impact is profound.

“It's a service that's really important in terms of social interaction. If people don't realize someone has a prosthetic eye, they are treated just like a regular person. If they don’t have a prosthetic eye and they look slightly different, they may have to enter into a conversation they might not necessarily want to have, which can make them uncomfortable. So it allows them to continue with their day and basically feel as normal as possible,” Bowen explained.

In a major step forward, the team is now training a local dentist, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, to provide interim maintenance care between their visits.

“People need to have their prostheses adjusted and cleaned at least every six months, so this initiative is a critical step in ensuring continuous care,” Avril emphasized.

The team will conclude their work on March 23 before taking a well-deserved break. Their efforts have given hope and dignity to those they serve one prosthetic eye at a time.