Following the recent Artsakh War the need for vision care in Armenia has increased due to injuries sustained by soldiers and civilians as a result of the war. To effectively address this increased need for care, the AECP has established a Vision Referral Program.
For nearly 30 years, our organization has been providing eye care to hundreds of thousands of patients in need across Armenia. Following the most recent Artsakh War last September, the need for vision care in Armenia has significantly increased, namely due to injuries sustained from blast burns, explosion debris, white phosphorous and other injury-inducing substances. The majority of those affected have been Armenia’s soldiers though some civilians have also been wounded.
To continue fulfilling Armenia’s vision care needs, the AECP has established a Vision Referral Program to effectively address requests submitted by people and/or organizations on behalf of the injured person or by the injured person themselves. By broadening the referral process and utilizing social media and other communication avenues to identify injured Armenians in need of care, we will be able to more promptly and efficiently provide the required treatment and rehabilitation for these injured Armenians.
The goal of our Vision Referral Program is to facilitate the best possible eye care and treatment for individuals who have sustained optical injuries during the war by connecting them with appropriate specialists in Armenia for clinical evaluation (first-time assessment or second opinion) and determining their best treatment options. These treatments may take place in Armenia or abroad, as appropriate and determined by the specialist in Armenia in consultation with international specialists when necessary.
As such the program will develop and expand its global network to enable remote/virtual, peer-to-peer consultation between an eye care specialist in Armenia and a counterpart in another country, referred to as a Global Consultant. Global Consultants will include individuals and organizations outside of Armenia such as AECP volunteer physicians, non-AECP-affiliated ocular experts, second opinion/consulting organizations, and training and education organizations.
The AECP’s Vision Referral Program will enhance our treatment and rehabilitation capacities to offer the patient, individually or in combination, low vision aids (optical and non-optical devices, mobility and occupational training, etc.); ocular prosthetics and/or reoperation.
We encourage all individuals and/or organizations who know of an injured Armenian soldier or civilian in need of eye care to fill out a referral form here.
