In July 2019, me and 11 other Cardiff University optometry students will be travelling to Malawi in East Africa to provide free eye examinations to thousands of people in communities with no access to such care.

We are aiming to test between 3000 and 4000 people across the country, providing free spectacles to those who need them which will allow them to perform the tasks we take for granted, such as reading, writing and working. Clear vision has a huge impact on the lives of people all over the world but is unfortunately not available to all. Providing spectacles to children can allow them to go to school, helping them to learn basic skills such as reading and writing. We will also be checking the health of people's eyes and screening for common ocular conditions - with the help of donations we should also be able to provide life-changing cataract surgeries for over 100 people; cataract surgery is the most commonly performed surgery by the NHS but the majority of people in Malawi would not otherwise have access to it.

We're hoping to spend time in hospital eye clinics, helping to teach some of the techniques we have been learning at University and improve the eye care services which are available in Malawi. Malawi has been categorised as one of the least economically developed countries in the world, and only has 9 consultant ophthalmologists for a population of 18 million people. We will also be going to an orphanage while on the trip to screen for ocular disease.

Donations will contribute towards purchasing spectacles to donate to those who need them, as well as contributing towards accommodation, equipment and travel costs whilst we are in Malawi. Any donations, however small, would be greatly appreciated!