South Wales optometrist and part-time clinical tutor, Peter Hong, is taking a group of Cardiff University students to Romania to experience optics at “the sharp end”, dispensing glasses to the needy.
Thanks to the generosity of Norville, which has donated 300 pairs of complete reading specs in more unusual powers, the team will be refracting as soon as they arrive in September, for his tenth dispensing visit.
“The glasses make a massive difference as we can help people straight away,” said Blackwood optometrist Peter Hong, who makes the annual trip with Dave Phillips of Wymans Opticians in nearby Pontypool.
“Last year we saw 1,500 patients: they were certainly long days. We’re concerned with refraction and can make life changing benefits for many people – some of whom can’t even afford the bus fare to the town, let alone buy a pair of spectacles.
“Three years ago we decided that it would be useful for students to experience optics at the sharp end of practice and we are taking a group of three students and five staff with us this time to carry out basic eye examinations at a base near Transylvania.
“Over the years we have supplied thousands of pairs of specs, and the students learn a lot from the experience.”