Operation Vision
262
patients treated for free 284
surgeries at no cost to the patient 100%
of patients improve their living conditions Since its launch in 2013, our solidarity surgery initiative has enabled us to provide assistance to more than 250 patients in financial difficulties, performing approximately 270 surgeries and providing medical treatment and optical correction where required. Thanks to the Operation Vision program, all patients have improved their living conditions, either by recovering some of their lost vision or by slowing the progression of a disease.
Opportunity to reverse an unfavorable situation
Difficulties in accessing surgery or specific treatment to cure an ocular pathology not only leads to a significant reduction of the vision of those affected, but also in their ability to develop autonomously and overcome adversity. For this reason, the Operation Vision program aims to provide a solution for these people and offer an alternative to a tunnel with no way out.
The Operation Vision program not only contemplates the surgical act itself, but also the entire treatment process for these patients, including the visits and diagnostic tests, as well as post-operative follow-up and the medical discharge report. To this end, the Institute of Ocular Microsurgery dedicates the experience and knowledge of its professionals, as well as facilities equipped with the latest technological equipment that allow it to offer specialized attention of the highest quality.
New challenges to go further
Operation Vision was originally planned as a one-year project in the Catalonia area. However, for 7 years the program has been growing thanks to the involvement of professionals from Fundación IMO and the contribution of entities and individuals committed to eye health. Thus, after being extended and widening its scope of action to all of Spain, the initiative will continue in 2020 and, with the aim of making it sustainable, it focuses on offering solutions only to the eye health emergencies of the most disadvantaged groups.
Testimonials of the Operation Vision program
Results 2019
During the year 2019, a total of 45 patients have been treated for their serious eye pathologies completely free of charge thanks to the IMO Foundation. These patients, aged between 16 and 85, suffered from diseases such as cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachment or keratitis, among others. In total, in 2019 we made 9 first visits, 106 follow-up visits and 9 emergency department visits.
The greatest number of treatments provided corresponded to the subspecialty of retina and vitreous, followed by those related to the cornea and anterior segment. This statistic follows the trend of previous years, in which the most requested treatments corresponded mostly to these two areas.
The most requested diagnostic tests in these examinations - either to confirm the diagnosis of the pathology or to assess its evolution - were the retinography, consisting of a color photograph of this tissue; the Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), which allows the different layers of the retina to be visualized; the photograph of the anterior segment, used when it is suspected that the patient suffers from some ailment in the cornea, iris, lens and/or eyelids; and the campimetry, used to assess the patient's field of vision. In total, 108 tests were performed.
With regard to the surgeries carried out through Operation Vision, of the 20 surgeries, 4 correspond to keratoplasties (partial or total corneal transplants); 3 vitrectomies (technique to extract the vitreous, a gel that fills the eye cavity and is related to pathologies such as diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachment, macular holes...); 2 cataract surgeries (phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implant); 2 strabismus surgeries in children; 2 lensectomies (replacement of the crystalline lens by an artificial lens to treat refractive defects); 1 glaucoma surgery with valve implant; 1 orbital reconstruction and 1 intravitreal injection, among others.
Thanks to the contributions of committed individuals like you, we can continue the Operation Vision program through 2020, providing the necessary ophthalmic care to all those people who cannot afford the treatment they need.
Who can enter the program?
Patients with ophthalmological emergencies who meet the following requirements are eligible for Operation Vision:
- Living in Spain
- Having a precarious economic situation.
- Suffering from an ocular pathology that requires urgent attention, something that will be assessed by the IMO Medical Committee of experts.
What documentation must be submitted to apply for access to the program?
Those interested in entering the program must submit:
- A socio-economic report made by a registered social worker, and which accredits a precarious economic situation. It is also possible to contact the nearest Càritas centre to obtain this report.
- Current medical reports on your ocular pathology.
The documentation must be sent by email through the contact form to be evaluated by the Medical Committee of the program. As soon as possible, the patient will receive confirmation or denial of access to Operation Vision.