International

St. Lucia

CVRP was first introduced to Saint Lucia Blind Welfare Association at the Vision '99 conference as a seminar topic, which addressed the needs of low-vision students. A team from the WVU Eye Institute (CVRP) agreed to assess the needs of low-vision students ages 4-12 from St. Lucia and lead workshops (assessments, optics, orientation and mobility, occupational therapy, and educational needs). Low vision is one aspect of Eye Health that needs to be addressed in St. Lucia. The World Health Organization (WHO) maintains that addressing low vision will be the greatest up-coming challenge in the eye-health world.

CVRP made its first mission trip to St. Lucia in November 2003 and returns annually. Children on the island received surgery, low-vision evaluations, optical devices, glasses and interventions in the school settings. Medical and Educational professionals participated in training sessions. The team will return annually to follow-up on patients and new patients. The outcome of this program is to create a foundation and provide tools and materials to maintain this program in the absence of CVRP.

Panama

San Blas Island is located just off the Atlantic Coast of Panama, where the Kuna Indians have the world's highest rate of oculocutaneous albinism (specifically OCA2), with an estimated frequency of 1:160. The individuals with albinism are called Moonchildren or children of the moon, on the theory that one or both parents gazed too long at the moon during that pregnancy. Skin cancer and visual impairment plague this population. No access to sun filters, sunscreen, spectacle correction or low vision devices diminish their quality of life and their life expectancy. CVRP teamed up with a Panamanian dermatologist and ophthalmologist to provide a comprehensive low vision/eye medical clinic on the island.  This project provided evaluations, sun protection for the eyes and skin, low vision devices, glasses, and education. 

Canada

CVRP collaborated with Lynn Langille, COMS to establish a low vision program that replicated CVRP in British Columbia, Canada. The Canadian team traveled to WV to observe this program and launched a sister program in 2004. The program serves children who are blind and visually impaired. 

Egypt

In March 2014, CVRP traveled to Egypt to provide education and comprehensive evaluations for the children of Egypt that suffered from blindness or low vision and met with the government to shift the mindset of the term “handicapped” in Egypt. Today, early education and special education teachers are available to assist children who are enrolled in mainstream school

Nigeria

CVRP staff has joined as adjunct faculty appointments at the University of Portharcourt Teaching Hospital River State in Nigeria. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, we have provided virtual training sessions in preparation for a future visit to provide services. 

In the future, CVRP will travel to Nigeria to assist in establishing medical and educational support for children who are blind and low vision.