By signing this important piece of legislation, the Canadian government has established itself as a global leader by prioritizing eye health care as an integral part of universal health care, while also achieving many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In Canada, health care is a right. This Bill now makes eye health care a right as well. The passage of Bill C-284 gives hope to the one in five Canadians suffering from a condition that puts them at risk of blindness (eight million people) and the 1.2 million Canadians living with vision loss, figures which come from the 2023 Report Card on Vision Health in Canada, released by Fighting Blindness Canada and the Canadian Council of the Blind. The report states that every year, our national economic burden from vision loss is 32.9 billion dollars. The passage of Bill C-284 is about far more than sight – it is about education for children, employment for adults and independence for seniors.

Kashinath Bhoosnurmath, President and CEO of Operation Eyesight Universal, says, “Today, Canadians have achieved the right to sight, as our universal health care will incorporate eye health care for all, with the passing of Bill C-284, the National Strategy for Eye Care Act, into law. Eye health care too is a priority now in Canada.  This impacts us all. The law will support the many Canadians who have eye conditions they do not know they have. It will also shine a light into the lives of the millions of Canadians who struggle not only with their vision but also with accessing the eye health care they need—across every part of Canada. This inclusive bill signifies that eye health care must be available, accessible and affordable, and it will support child development and learning, adult employment and productivity and senior connection and independence. We are delighted that Canada has the vision to step forward as a national and international leader. We can all see the benefits ahead.”

The importance of this legislation cannot be overstated. Universal eye health care is proactive, preventative and supportive. It includes regular eye exams, early detection of eye conditions, treatment and ongoing supports. For some, treatment can be as simple as getting a pair of prescription eyeglasses which can be transformative – recent research found that students who don’t get the eyeglasses they need learn half as much as students with good or corrected vision, according to the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness. This research also stated that when vision is corrected in school it can influence lifelong earnings by up to 78 per cent. This example shows that eye health care impacts not only individuals but also local and global economies. Eye health contributes to several of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which have been set to build a more peaceful and prosperous world. These include good health and well-being, quality education and poverty reduction. 

For decades, Operation Eyesight has brought inclusive eye health care to communities and regions in countries in Africa and South Asia. We do this by partnering with national, regional, and local governments and leaders, including the ministries of health and education. We act as a bridge between communities, connecting every child, woman and man to local eye health care.

In Alberta, we have been piloting eye health care programs by working with medically underserved communities. We are building relationships with and listening to communities to understand their unique needs, cultures, lived experiences and lifestyles (rural, urban and more), while growing our capacity to support this work in a good way. We know that inclusive eye health care works when people are aware of its importance, it is available and accessible when and where people need it – close to home, school or work – and it is open to all regardless of ability to pay.

We welcome the opportunity to collaborate with governments, organizations and community leaders in Canada to inform this new national eye care strategy. We look forward to contributing our voice to advocate for it to be inclusive so that it is accessible, affordable and available to all. We will continue to raise awareness of the importance of eye health and the need for eye health care in Canada. Together, let us take a long view of our collective right to sight. 

Kris Kelm, Global Director, International Programs, Operation Eyesight Universal 

Kashinath Bhoosnurmath, President & CEO, Operation Eyesight Universal

About Operation Eyesight Universal  operationeyesight.com

Operation Eyesight Universal is an international development organization and registered charity working to prevent blindness and restore sight. Our vision is the elimination of avoidable vision loss. Founded in Calgary, Alberta, Canada in 1963, we are now a global community spanning four continents – Africa, Europe, North America and South Asia. Our vision is global and our focus is local, with teams on the ground in communities of work. Through activities like community outreach, water and sanitation projects, and health education, we at Operation Eyesight are addressing the root causes of avoidable vision loss which contribute to six United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: no poverty, good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, and partnerships for the goals.

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But she isn’t complaining. The cause of all this busyness was one to celebrate. Between October and the end of December of last year, 20 villages in the county were declared Avoidable Blindness-Free.

Far from being a mere formality, these declarations are the culmination of years of collaboration between the community, the local government and the partner hospital.

“In simple terms,” Caroline explains, “Avoidable Blindness-Free means that nobody in the village is suffering from blindness or visual impairment due to treatable and avoidable conditions, and the community is aware of where to get the services for new cases.”

Our approach

We call our approach the “Hospital-Based Community Eye Health Model.” It’s a mouthful, but essentially it means we facilitate door-to-door screening to communities in remote and underserved villages and make referrals to our partner hospitals where people can access treatment.

In Kenya, we work with community health volunteers who are trained in primary health care and provide health education and services at the village level throughout the county. We deliver additional training in eye health, and then the volunteers go door to door in our project area to screen community members for eye conditions.

As they screen, the volunteers make referrals to the partner hospital, the eye unit at the Iten County Referral Hospital, where people can get treatment, such as cataract surgery or a pair of eyeglasses, free of charge. A volunteer might return to the same household several times to make sure every member of the family has been screened.

The community health volunteers also encourage people identified with eye problems to attend outreach camps that are centrally located within the villages to make sure everyone has access to further screenings. From there, transport may be arranged for those needing treatment at the partner hospital.

Working with community leaders and health care workers, we make sure that the community is in support of the project and can take ownership of it. 

Health education

Another part of the community health volunteer’s role is providing education about health issues, often attending social meetings such as micro-savings groups called “chamas” to make sure they’re reaching people when it’s convenient for them.

Due to misconceptions about surgeries, not everyone jumps at the chance to get treatment, so the volunteers identify community members who have had success with their treatment to act as ambassadors. “So they tell them, ‘I was not able to see. I could not work. Now I’m back at my farm. I’m evidence that you can be treated and start your life again,’” explains Caroline.

Our programmers also conduct PACEH meetings – PACEH being an acronym for Participatory Approach to Community Eye Health. These meetings help our team understand the perception of the community on eye diseases, eye health providers and treatment received. They also identify misconceptions and address gaps in knowledge on eye health, and they ask community members if they know of anyone who might still be experiencing vision loss or blindness. Finally, they ensure community members know where and when to seek treatment so that they can take responsibility for their own eye health going forward.

Resurvey, validation & declaration

Community health volunteers conduct door-to-door surveys again towards the end of project duration to ensure that there are no backlog cases. During these screenings, ophthalmic workers screen at least 10 per cent of the population to see if the volunteers are accurate in their assessments and whether they need any refresher training.

After a village has gone through the resurvey process and we have determined that all those requiring treatment have received it and that the level of eye health awareness is high, the next step is a declaration event. The partner hospital works with community health volunteers and local government officials to arrange a time and date for a village celebration, and they often erect a billboard to mark the achievement.

During the declaration, beneficiaries speak about how their restored sight has changed their lives. Caroline recalls one older woman who had never seen her two grandchildren due to cataracts. After surgery, the grandmother laid eyes on the children for the first time and cried with joy.

“Everyone is happy because they can see their hard work paying off,” says Caroline of the declaration events. “They are proud of themselves because it’s a milestone that we have achieved together.”

Sustainability

Caroline explains that the idea behind eye health education is to change behaviour, so that the community members take charge, prioritize their own eye health and seek treatment when necessary, without anyone having to remind them. By constructing and equipping the eye units and training ophthalmic workers, we ensure the community will continue to have access to treatment for years to come.

Operation Eyesight Universal is committed to working toward the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, which are a universal call to action to create a more fair, just and equitable world ensuring no one is left behind. Sign up for our eNews to learn more about how we are working to end poverty, promote good health and well-being, increase gender equality, provide access to clean water and promote partnerships to achieve the goals.

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Although turkey dinner isn’t a tradition in my family (I eat what turkeys eat, grass and grains), after hearing a recent story shared by the Jenkyns family, any mention of turkey dinner will forever remind me of Art Jenkyns, the founder of Operation Eyesight.

Not only did Art cherish the holidays, but being the resourceful scout that he was, he loved a good turkey bag.

Back in the 1960s, Art, his wife, Una, their five children – Arleigh, Bill, Jim, Linda and Tom – and the family dog, Cookie, would pile into their Chevy sedan and set out for a three-week camping adventure in the mountains. With space being limited, Art ensured that everything was well-organized and nicely packed in the trunk or under a canvas cover on the car’s rooftop. Each child was given one bag to pack their belongings in – and, you guessed it, it was a turkey bag. 

“These camping trips are some of our fondest memories,” say the Jenkyns children, now parents and grandparents themselves. “Dad was an incredible leader, whether it was organizing our campsite and teaching us how to set up our 9×9 tent or running Operation Eyesight and inspiring others to support a cause that was so close to his heart.” 

While he kept very busy with his ‘day job’ at a local insurance broker and his ‘evening job’ doing work for Operation Eyesight, Art always made time for his family and friends. He was the kind of man who took genuine interest in others. When he spoke to you, it was as if you were the only person in the room. Even today, our supporters speak warmly of the time they met Art when he made a presentation to their church or club. They might have only had a few minutes with Art, but the impression he made and the passion he ignited in them has lasted a lifetime. 

I never had the privilege of meeting Art but, having seen the impact of his legacy firsthand from South Asia to sub-Saharan Africa to Canada and beyond, I can say that he was truly a visionary. He was committed to providing quality eye health services to everyone, regardless of their financial circumstances, and he was dedicated to finding local solutions to local problems, promoting the goal of sustainable development. The fact the Operation Eyesight will soon be celebrating its 60^th anniversary proves this.  

The facilities that Operation Eyesight helped to establish during Art’s lifetime continue to deliver critical services today. Whenever I visit our old partner hospitals, I am filled with a sense of gratitude toward Art. I see his photo proudly displayed on waiting room walls, and retired physicians share many wonderful stories with me.   

The Jenkyns children say that Art never imagined that, nearly six decades later, the organization he founded would still be in existence. Yet today, Operation Eyesight is the biggest and most impactful it has ever been. Art’s legacy lives on with every pair of eyeglasses given to a child, with every cataract surgery provided to a parent or grandparent, and with every supporter who reminisces about the time they met an incredible man named Art Jenkyns. 

Thank you to our donors and partners who brought Art’s vision to life all those years ago, and to those who continue to carry out his legacy today – For All The World To See.  

Best wishes for a joyful, healthy holiday season. And if you’ll be enjoying a turkey dinner this year, I hope the turkey bag reminds you of Art, his legacy and the life-changing impact of your generosity. 

Two years ago, as a tribute to Art and Una, the Jenkyns family rekindled the Art and Una Jenkyns Legacy Fund, which will be used to create an endowment fund that will continue the Jenkyns legacy for years to come. Those interested can contribute to the Fund here.  

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In 1963, Art heard Dr. Ben Gullison speak in Calgary. Dr. Gullison was a Canadian doctor working in Sompeta, India to help those who were blind or visually impaired. Inspired to help Dr. Gullison’s cause, Art held a fundraising dinner in Calgary in June of 1963, with the help of members from his local church. That dinner raised $840 and served as the beginning of Operation Eyesight. Over the years, Art became a tireless champion for blindness prevention and treatment, speaking at countless events across Canada to raise financial support for the organization.

His children remember their father’s passion and dedication to providing eye health care for all. In the formative years of Operation Eyesight, Art had two desks in his home office – one for his day job at a local insurance broker and one for Operation Eyesight. At the end of his regular work day, Art would move to the second desk and work on Operation Eyesight projects well into the evening. Una Jenkyns, Art’s wife, was also very involved with Operation Eyesight and she did most of the typing and tax receipting in the early years as a volunteer.

Parents to five children, Art and Una were very busy, but family was always their top priority. Every year, the family of seven would embark on a three-week camping holiday, never staying overnight in the same place. These family trips were always educational experiences for the children and serve as some of their most cherished memories. In later years, Art would incorporate opportunities along their route to share Operation Eyesight’s work with various groups and organizations across the country.

“He would just speak to anybody and everybody about Operation Eyesight’s vision,” says Jim. “Our dad was a wonderful speaker. His enthusiasm was infectious and the excitement he created in other people was just amazing.”

Growing up, the Jenkyns Family was shaped by their commitment to service towards others. Art was avidly involved with the Scouts for 60 years, and Una volunteered frequently at the Foothills Hospital in Calgary. In turn, this instilled a strong sense of service towards others in their children.

In honour of their parents, the Jenkyns Family has started The Art and Una Jenkyns Legacy Fund to carry on their parent’s legacy and continue their vision of a world where everyone has access to quality eye health care.

“Our dad never, ever expected that the organization would grow like it grew,” says Linda. “Of course, we are all so proud of Operation Eyesight today. Dad used to say, that you can’t change the world, but you can change some people’s world. That principle was at the root of his service to others and is what continues to inspire us all today.”

If you would like to support The Art and Una Jenkyns Legacy Fund and help change someone’s world, click here to learn more.

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