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History

Armenian History

One of the world’s oldest civilizations, Armenia has had a long, tumultuous history marked by wars and massacres.

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The Armenian Flag

The Armenian flag consists of three colors: red, blue and orange. Each color serves a special meaning.

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Armenia’s Amazing Facts

Did you know Armenia reportedly has the world’s best apricots? And is also well-known for its cognac?

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Armenian Quick Facts

Want to know more about Armenia but don’t have the time? Here are some quick facts by the CIA World Fact Book.

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Slavik’s Cataract Surgery

Slavik was working in his workshop with an angle grinder when the disc broke and hit him in the eye.

“Right away I felt a severe pain and my eye became dark,” Slavik said. “I was taken to the hospital and there, the doctors told me that my cornea was damaged. I have already had several eye surgeries in Russia. Coming to Armenia was my last hope.”

The surgery was performed a week before we met Slavik. Before the surgery, he had only “light perception,” which gave him just the ability to tell light from dark and the general direction of a light source. But on the day after his surgery, Slavik could see lights and differentiate between objects.

48% of parents in the U.S. with children under 12 have never taken their child to an eye care professional

the percentage is much higher in Armenia.

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Myth: You shouldn't wear glasses all the time, taking a break allows your eyes to rest.

Fact: If you are prescribed glasses for distance or reading, use them. Trying to read without reading glasses will simply strain your eyes and tire them out.

Myth: The eye is full size at birth.

Fact: The eye is NOT full size at birth but continues to grow with your child. This growth partially accounts for refractive (glasses) changes that occur during childhood.

Myth: There is nothing you can do to prevent vision loss.

Fact: At the very first sign of symptoms, such as blurred vision, eye pain, flashes of light, or sudden onset of floater in your eyes, you should see a doctor. If detected early enough, depending on the cause, there are treatments that can correct, stop, or at least slow down the loss of vision.

Shant’s Medical Observership

Twenty-three-year-old Shant Korkigian, a second-year student at the Medical School of the Michigan State University, never thought medicine would be his calling. While one might think that following in his father’s footsteps — a successful physician — would be the obvious choice, Shant says, “I wanted to make my own career selection.”

“I did not want it to be predestined or a field that was pre-determined by my parents,” Shant continues. “I was very hesitant about going to medical school because I wanted it to be my choice. I made the decision to go into the field of medicine only after a number of experiences led me in that direction and I realized that helping people as a physician was something that I really wanted to do for a lifetime.”

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90% OF PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND LIVE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES WITH LOW INCOME

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Anatomy of the Eye

Armenia Quick Facts

Matching Donations

Armenian Government

Armenia is a parliamentary democracy with a strong executive branch. Many political parties have formed and disappeared in Armenia’s first decade of independence, and the parties are often based on the popularity of one leader, or dislike of a current leader. There are also some political parties which formed over 100 years ago, and represented in the Armenian government in 1918-1921, have survived in Diaspora communities and have come back and reestablished themselves in Armenia after independence.

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