Home » Our work » Around the world » The Caribbean » Jamaica

At a glance

Jamaica, known for its beauty, relative political stability and music, is also known for its widespread poverty and crime. The country gained full independence in 1962 and has a population of over 2.7 million. Approximately 1% (27,000) of the population are blind and the main eye diseases are cataract, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, refractive error and low vision.

Sightsavers in Jamaica

We have recently begun work on a European Union funded five-year programme that aims to help deliver the goals of Vision2020, the global initiative for the elimination of avoidable blindness, to the Caribbean. From 2010 with our partners in Jamaica we will support the training and development of 7 refractionists, 5 optometrists, 3 ophthalmologists, 3 low vision specialists, 20 low vision councillors, approximately 360 primary health care workers, 2 spectacle lab technicians, 3 spectacle lab maintenance technicians, 4 vision centres and 1 surgical theatre. We are also embarking on a wide-ranging community and public awareness programme that will raise awareness of eye health problems and the treatments and facilities available in Jamaica.

As part of the project a Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness (RAABs) will be undertaken to determine the rates of blindness in Jamaica, as well as other research activities which will help inform our future work in the country.

More about our work in Jamaica

We have supported our partners the Caribbean Council for the Blind (CCB) and the Jamaica Society for the Blind to develop an outpatients department and vision centre at Mandeville Hospital, which are helping to provide much needed eye care to the local population. We are also currently implementing plans to establish a dedicated operating theatre for eye surgeries. Together with our partners we are now looking to develop three similar facilities in the southern region.

Sightsavers in partnership with CCB support a Computer Lab for Visually Impaired persons and training of Primary Healthcare workers and community workers in eye care. We also work to expand inclusive education services to rural Jamaica.