Note: Zoom link to be provide in future editions of “The Wheel”. Check your email!
Dr. Anshu Chandra, a graduate of SUNY College of Optometry, has dedicated her life to providing eye care to underserved populations. She has worked in 12 countries, delivering eye care to some of the world's most vulnerable communities, all as a fully unpaid volunteer.
In 2015, Dr. Chandra founded an eye clinic with the Bay Eye Charitable Foundation (BECF) in Fond-des-Blancs, Haiti, a rural area with no access to eye care. A unique aspect of her work is her commitment to training local staff, empowering the community, and creating sustainable, long-term systems for care. To date, the clinic has provided over 120,000 free eye exams, restored sight, and prevented blindness for thousands of underserved Haitians, many of whom travel for days to receive care.
Remarkably, all of this has been achieved with minimal funding, serving 13,000–15,000 people annually on a budget of less than $50,000. However, the building housing the clinic is no longer available, putting it at risk of closure. Dr. Chandra will discuss her journey, the clinic's profound impact, the ongoing crisis, and the urgent need for funds to build a permanent facility to secure the program's future.
