Residents of Taita Taveta County and its environs are set to benefit from improved access to eye care services following the launch of a telerefraction project at Mwatate Sub county hospital.

The initiative was launched as a result of the partnership with the county government and Good Vision Kenya aiming to bring vision screening and corrective services closer to communities that have limited access to specialized eye care.

The World Health Organization reports that at least 2.2 billion people around the world have a vision impairment, of which at least 1 billion have a vision impairment that could have been prevented or is yet to be addressed.

The world faces considerable challenges in terms of eye care, including inequalities in the coverage and quality of prevention, treatment and rehabilitation services; a shortage of trained eye care service providers; and poor integration of eye care services into health systems, among others.

The launch was presided over by the Governor of Taita Taveta County, Andrew Mwadime and attended by Good Vision’s Country Director Benson Ngure, Head of Operations and Partnerships and Head of Optics, alongside local health officials and community stakeholders.

Telerefraction is a technology-enabled approach that allows eye examinations to be conducted remotely using specialized equipment operated by trained technicians on site, patients’ eye measurements are captured digitally and transmitted to qualified optometrists in another location.

The optometrists then analyze the data and prescribe appropriate corrective lenses.

Speaking during the launch, Good Vision’ Country Director Benson Ngure noted that many people live with vision problems without realizing it.

“Four out of every ten people have refractive errors and many of them do not know it. Eye health has often been overlooked, yet clear vision is essential for learning, productivity and quality of life. Bringing these services to remote areas is a priority for all of us because when communities see better, they live better,” Ngure stated.

The project was introduced in Taita Taveta County due to the county’s vast geographical coverage and the limited availability of specialized eye care services, particularly in rural areas where residents must travel long distances to access refraction services.

As part of the initiative, 50 eye camps are planned across the county’s sub-counties, beginning this week in Mwatate Sub-County.

The outreach camps aim to screen thousands of residents for vision problems and distribute prescription glasses to those diagnosed with refractive errors.

However, health officials say the program is expected to improve learning outcomes for school- going children and enhance productivity among adults whose daily activities depend on clear vision.

The project is being implemented on the ground in collaboration with Wakujaa Foundation and CLIF Kenya, organizations that will support community outreach and service delivery during the eye camps.

Partners involved in the initiative expressed optimism that combining digital health solutions with community-based outreach will help close the gap in access to eye care services in underserved areas.

Taita Taveta governor Andrew Mwadime in his address affirmed that the launch of the eye project marks a significant step toward strengthening eye health services in the region and ensuring that more residents receive timely diagnosis and treatment for preventable vision problems.