Optician Services

Julie Dean lives in Norwich and works as an optometrist in Norfolk. In 2006, she obtained recycled spectacles, reading glasses and optical equipment and these were sent to Dedza in the shipping container. When she visited Dedza, she found that there was no facility in the District for people to have sight tests or even buy a simple pair of reading glasses.

Julie with a satisfied customer

She set up a room in the Dedza District Hospital, carried out over 100 examinations and dispensed the appropriate spectacles. On a later visit, Julie screened 400 schoolchildren and identified many schoolteachers with an urgent need for reading glasses. She trained the local Special Needs Teacher to perform a simple sight test for teachers and provide reading glasses when necessary. He was also shown how to screen schoolchildren in order to identify those with vision problems.

In September 2007 Julie started a training programme for two hospital staff. They were taught to carry out a test for reading glasses, to dispense and fit the correct glasses and also given guidelines in record keeping and administration . Julie plans to return in February 2008 to give further training for distance prescriptions.

People with cataracts or other eye problems requiring medical intervention are referred to a mission eye hospital in Nkhoma, 40 miles from Dedza Township.

Julie also made an arrangement with an optical workshop in Malawi to supply affordable glasses. These are sold at a small cost. There is a fund within the hospital for those who do not have the means to pay for them.

Julie has formed her own charity, Far Sight, which enables her to make requests to optical companies for equipment, reading glasses, frames and lenses. Far Sight works in co-operation with the Norwich-Dedza Partnership.

New eye staff - Lucky Kilembe

and Daniel Mlongoti

She is very grateful to everyone who has given her encouragement, support and generously helped to fund the project. Julie pays her travel and living expenses for each trip and takes unpaid leave from her work. She is looking into ways of raising money to fund future trips. Far Sight is registered for Gift Aid.