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At a glance

The Caribbean region is located to the north of South America and comprises of more than 7,000 islands, islets, reefs, and cays. Sightsavers support focuses mainly on the countries of Belize, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica and St Lucia – a combined population of approximately 14 million. The most prevalent causes of blindness in the Caribbean are non-operated cataract and glaucoma, followed by diabetic retinopathy and uncorrected refractive errors.

Sightsavers in the Caribbean

We have been working in the Caribbean since the mid 1950s. In 1967 we helped to establish our partner organisation the Caribbean Council for the Blind (CCB), which coordinates our work in this diverse and challenging region.

All our work in the Caribbean is carried out with CCB, who work in partnership with local organisations and government institutions in each country to support provision of eye health, rehabilitation and education services. CCB strongly advocate for the rights of people who are blind and visually impaired in the region.

Delivering Vision 2020

With our partners we recently launched a five-year project that will significantly contribute to achieving the goals of Vision2020, the global initiative for the elimination of avoidable blindness, in the Caribbean. The project is funded by the European Union and aims to reduce the prevalence of avoidable blindness through capacity building in Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St Lucia and the Caribbean region.

From 2010 with our partners we will support the training of 10 ophthalmologists, 15 optometrists, 23 refractionists, 45 low vision councillors, 1,240 health care workers, 21 spectacle lab personnel and 10 maintenance personnel. We are also developing or refurbishing 13 vision centres, 7 operating theatres and 5 spectacle labs.

Research activities will be conducted as part of the five-year project, including a number of Rapid Assessments of Avoidable Blindness (RAABs) which will determine the rates of blindness in the project countries. Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) studies and clinic-based surveys will also be undertaken to inform future prevention and treatment practices.

To support our work we will also develop a wide range of communications that aim to raise awareness of eye health problems and the treatments available. These will be adapted to suit each national context and spread across TV, radio, newspapers, and by our health care workers, to ensure these important messages reach as many people as possible.