Optometrist Natalie Quinlan has completed a two-week Vision Aid Overseas programme to Zambia funded by The outside Clinic as part of its 30 year celebrations.
Quinlan flew out to Africa at the beginning of June as part of the programme which hosted a low vision course for optometrists and optometric nurses from across Zambia.
Part of the programme included an outreach element to perform eye examinations in remote villages which Quinlan said was challenging but hugely rewarding.
Clinics, often in bright and dusty environments, made retinoscopy and ophthalmoscopy difficult but the joy experienced by both her and the patients made it all worthwhile.
‘One particular man springs to mind, he was in his 70’s and we prescribed a pair of -3.00DS spectacles. He was walking around, taking his spectacles off and putting them back on. Looking around with a beaming Vision Aid smile.’ When not teaching or testing Quinlan went on a walking safari and visited the Victoria Falls.