BBR Optometry is supporting Arclight India, a programme set up by Hereford-local Hugo Jobst, to deliver life-changing technology to areas most affected by preventable blindness.

Hugo, a medical student at the University of St Andrews, is undertaking an 8-month expedition on his motorcycle throughout India and Nepal to train midwives and nurses with the Arclight Ophthalmoscope. Beginning in November 2020, Hugo will travel 15,000 km, see 35 Institutions and train over 1,000 midwives and nurses.

Developed at St Andrews in collaboration with Dr Andrew Blaikie, the Arclight is an innovative, solar powered diagnostic device used to examine the eyes and ears. It can accurately detect diseases that cause blindness and deafness. Importantly, due to its durability and low production costs, it is designed to be accessible to low-resource areas.

According to The World Health Organisation, there are 250 million people living without sight. 40% of these live in India alone, partly due to the lack of affordable technology. Of these people, 80% can be cured but early detection is vital.

Daniel Read, practice manager at BBR, says:

“As a practice that focuses primarily on patient care, BBR is honoured to be supporting Hugo. The donation will assist Hugo on his incredible 8-month expedition, as he aims to train over 1,000 midwives and nurses with the Arclight Ophthalmoscope.

“The fight against preventable blindness is an ongoing challenge. The people most affected are often the furthest away from appropriate care, but by travelling to rural areas and training and equipping workers, Hugo will be giving many more children the best chance at a fair start to life.

“We wish Hugo all the best and can’t wait to follow his journey.”

Read more about Hugo’s adventure & find out how to donate to this incredible cause here: https://arclightindia.com

Image caption: Hugo Jobst