Since 2003, our Mobile Eye Hospital has been traveling throughout Armenia to offer sight-saving eye care services, including surgery, to the many residents living in remote regions in the country. These beneficiaries, who are often on the country’s poverty list and do not have the means to pay for care or travel far to receive it, have had their lives changed through our fully functioning surgical suite on wheels, which brings quality eye care to them!
Largely considered the hallmark of the Armenian EyeCare Project, our Mobile Eye Hospital – equipped with an up-to-date operating room and two exam rooms – delivers eye care to tens of thousands of residents in Armenia per year who otherwise wouldn’t have access to this care. Here are the stories of four Armenians who recently received their sight-saving surgery.
Vladik Karapetyan, 33, Aragats
Vladik was diagnosed with diabetes when he was just 16 years old. Though he is young, he has suffered with the disease for many years and has also developed complications including vision problems. A few years ago, Vladik got acquainted with AECP’s Diabetes Program, which works to prevent diabetes-related vision problems throughout Armenia. Vladik was able to receive a much-needed laser treatment inside our Mobile Eye Hospital due to his diabetic retinopathy.
Diabetic retinopathy is a serious sight-threatening complication of diabetes, which damages the back of the eye (retina.) Unfortunately, diabetic retinopathy has no one-time treatment and new changes could appear because of blood sugar fluctuations. This happened to Vladik, and he returned to the Mobile Eye Hospital for additional laser treatment recently.
“I work at the municipality as an electrician and I am responsible for the night lighting of the streets in the region, including Christmas decorations. I work mainly at night, and without good vision I would lose my job. I live with my mother and I am the sole breadwinner. Without my job our life would be very difficult,” he said. “I am very glad that in Armenia there is such a program that takes care of people like us. I am very thankful to you for saving my eyesight a second time! I hope you will always be able to help many young people with the same vision issues!”
Abraham Ghlijyan, 58, Amasia
Abraham lost the vision in his left eye due to an accident that occured during his childhood. Decades later, Abraham’s second eye was at risk of going blind from diabetic retinopathy. Abraham’s vision issues began about 10 years ago, suddenly. He was taken to the hospital and diagnosed with a very high level of blood sugar. Due to diabetes he had developed vision problems and visited the Mobile Eye Hospital to get his first laser treatment on both eyes. Unfortunately, this year he had to repeat the procedure due to blood sugar fluctuation. “I am so thankful to this program,” Abraham said. “This intervention is quite expensive and I could hardly afford it. This is my only eye and in my case the expertise and competence of my doctors has been most important. I am so thankful to the high level of professionals at the Mobile Eye Hospital to treat me and to save my vision.”
Sonya Margaryan, 59, Dasht
“Now I can see quite well,” Sonya said joyfully after the nurse removed the bandage from her eye. About two years ago Sonya almost lost vision in her left eye due to cataracts. “I know in the case of cataracts, to avoid complications, timely surgical treatment is important,” Sonya said. “But we had no financial means. I have end-stage liver disease and spend about $200 on a mandatory treatment course on a quarterly basis. My son is currently unemployed due to severe health problems of his own so we cannot afford even half the sum of the cost of cataract surgery.” Fortunately Sonya was able to receive cataract surgery aboard our Mobile Eye Hospital at no cost. This was Sonya’s second visit to the hospital on wheels. During MEH’s previous arrival to the region, Sonya underwent surgical treatment on her right eye and the results are perfect. Now thanks to AECP, Sonya’s vision is completely restored.
Arkadya Ayvazyan, 68, Metsamor
Arkadya is a former resident of Artsakh. His son and daughter were on the battlefield during the recent war in their homeland. At the end of September 2023, Arkadya and his family locked the doors of their Artsakh home for the last time due to Azerbaijan’s military aggression and moved to Armenia. Currently, the Ayvazyan family rents an apartment in the village of Metsamor. Their life has drastically changed. Here in Armenia Arkadya’s left eye went blind due to cataract. Unemployed, Arkadya could not afford the surgical treatment needed to save his sight. Fortunately the local ophthalmologist referred Arkadya to the Mobile Eye Hospital to be treated at no cost. After the successful surgery Arkadya had this to say: “I was so glad to receive this opportunity. Thanks to my restored vision I can try to find a job and help my family solve our financial problems.”
Every patient that AECP is able to help with restored sight is beyond meaningful and each reaction from our beneficiaries is priceless. Thank you to our donors for making this life-changing work possible! If you would like to continue to support our work, please consider making a contribution here.
