Mission Report from Kharkiv Region

At the end of June, the eighth mission of the Mobile Ophthalmology Care (#MOC) took place in the frontline territories. This time, the team worked in the Kharkiv region.

Over seven days, we examined 201 patients. Although an appointment schedule had been prepared in advance, many people also dropped by spontaneously just to check their eyesight—since a large number of them hadn’t had an eye exam in the past three years.

The most common complaints were dry eyes, myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. Many also experienced eye fatigue caused by poor lighting and constant stress. In 13% of patients, we identified issues with the cornea, retina, or lens, as well as cases that required removal of small foreign bodies from the eye.

Key results of the mission:

• 7 days of work

• 201 patients examined

• 32 pairs of eyeglasses provided

• 146 bottles of eye drops distributed

For now, in such missions, we mainly serve as temporary support: stepping in for local ophthalmologists while young doctors gain experience and confidence, and while the state searches for solutions to address the staffing shortage caused by the outflow of specialists.

That is why mobile medical teams like this are so crucial today. And later, once the system becomes stronger, we will be able to transform into new formats of support.