Category: News & Events

Inaugural UOG Annual Optometry Student’s Dinner Party

The Bachelor of Science in Optometry offered by the University of Guyana (UOG), is a 4-year programme, including internship. Based in the Department of Public Health, it is built on the core curriculum as prescribed by UK-based General Optical Council (GOC).In addition to classes and simulated practice on campus, students undertake clinical attachment (and eventually, their 6-credits internship) in more than ten leading Eye Clinics and Eye Departments in five countries across the Caribbean. The first Optometry cohort commenced training at the University Of Guyana in 2010. Today, there are three cohorts, years 1, 2 and 4 (there was no …

A life dedicated to betterment for the visually impaired…Colin Ault is a ‘Special Person’

“Too often people just focus on the disability, when in fact they should be focusing on the abilities of persons with disabilities, or as we say, those that are differently-able. And in that way a lot of people with great potential just fall by the wayside, as they are not allowed the opportunities as others, to grow to their full potential… and that is sad.” By Enid Joaquin Today, the Wismar Hill Primary School in Linden is the only school in Region 10 that has a unit for the visually impaired. This, of course, did not happen by accident, but …

Visually impaired children do parents proud at Grade Six exams

By Enid JoaquinSuzanne Featherstone and Ronella Jarvis are the proud mothers of two visually impaired children that, considering their challenges, have done extremely well at the recent grade six assessments.Shivannie Featherstone was able to obtain 510 marks and secure a place at the St Roses High School, while Relon Sumner secured a place at the Mackenzie High School with 426 marks. Both children attend the Wismar Hill Primary school, which is the only school in Region 10, with a unit for the visually impaired.Relon, the more reticent of the two children, said he was happy with his success, while Shivannie, …

Blindness Awareness Month – Focus on Dominica

Contributed by Dr. Hazel Shillingford Ricketts M.B.B.S. (U.W.I); F.R.C.S. (C) The month of May has been designated as “Blindness Awareness Month”. This means that during the month of May there will be a number of programmes geared towards informing the general public about blindness. The Dominica Association of Persons with Disabilities must be congratulated for their efforts in putting together a programmes under the theme: “Preventing blindness and assisting those whose sight cannot be restored”. Their goal is to create a more enabling and accessible environment for persons with impaired vision. The term blind means the loss of sight. However …

World Book and Copyright Day 2013

World Book and Copyright Day is observed on April 23 each year. It is a date that is symbolic in the world of Literature as it marks the death of several well known authors, including William Shakespeare. In 1995 at a UNESCO General Conference in Paris, the date was a natural choice to pay a world wide tribute to books and authors and to encourage everyone to discover the pleasure of reading. Louis Braille brought the published literature to the finger tips of persons who are blind, by developing a system which makes it the norm for us to acquire …

CCB/Eye Care Caribbean implements one-month Optometry and Refraction Clinics at the Clarevue Psychiatric Hospital and the Fiennes Residence for the Elderly

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE St John’s Antigua –  February 4, 2013: With the implementation of both clinics, the Caribbean Council for the Blind/Eye Care Caribbean (in association with the Government of Antigua & Barbuda) moves closer to the goal of Class 1 Eye Care Services for all persons living in the country. “Commencing this week, CCB began implementation of a series of one-month Eye Clinics at both institutions.Through the month of February, more than 500 residents and staff of both institutions will be screened for all major eye conditions endemic to the Caribbean. Additionally, all employees and residents of both institutions, who need prescription glasses, will …

Season’s Greetings 2012

During this Holiday Season, we take the opportunity to thank you for your continued partnership. As another year comes to an end we wish you a happy holiday and a prosperous New Year. We look forward to working with you in the coming year as we continue to strive to fulfill our mission of preventing blindness and visual impairment while restoring sight and creating opportunities for persons whose sight cannot be restored.

Caribbean Council for the Blind and Social Inclusion

As we observe International Day of Persons with Disabilities on Monday December 3rd, 2012 under the theme “Removing barriers to create an inclusive and accessible society,” this article from the Caribbean Council for the Blind: articulates the Council’s position on inclusion; presents a global overview and estimated prevalence of disabilities (including blindness and low vision) in the Caribbean Region; discusses briefly the triangle of Disability, Poverty and Social Inclusion; and outlines the status of implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) by Regional Governments. The Caribbean Council for the Blind urges all Regional Governments, Civil …

Jennifer Daulat-Araujo

Jennifer Daulat-Araujo (known as Jenny) was born in Pasea Village, Tunapuna in 1957. She is the last of six children of Mr & Mrs Jagdeo Daulat (both deceased). Her parents were farmers who sold their produce in the Tunapuna Market on Sundays. She was diagnosed with Glaucoma from birth. As a child, she attended Tunapuna Hindu Primary School and, afterwards, St. Charles Girls’ High School for three years. In 1972, she travelled to Winnipeg, Canada to seek treatment for her eye condition.   In Canada, she underwent several eye operations, which proved to be unsuccessful. With failing sight and a strong desire to obtain a Secondary School Education, she was exposed to rehabilitation training and acquired …

VISION CENTER SERVICES COMING TO BARBUDA, ALL SAINTS, GRAYS FARM AND JOHNSON’S POINT BY OCTOBER 2012

The placement of Vision Centers at the four locations is the start of a longterm partnership between the Government and people of Antigua and Barbuda and CCB-Eye Care Caribbean. The Centers are designed to give every person in Antigua and Barbuda, access to Eye Health services on demand. In order to help persons who are unable to afford commercially available spectacles, CCB-Eye Care Caribbean is committed to supplying them with affordable, accessible and readily available (quality) prescription glasses and low vision appliances.