Carlow mother and daughter 'grateful' to have delivered 'transformative' eye care to people in India

A mother and daughter who work together in Carlow recently took a trip to Kolkata in India to deliver essential eye care to people there.

Dolores and Abby O'Neill both work at Specsavers in Carlow and teamed up with The Hope Foundation to check the eye health of people in Kolkata. 

During their 8-day visit, the expert team conducted eye checks for 3722 patients, dispensed over 2804 pairs of glasses, and, in more severe cases, referred patients to Hope Hospital for necessary surgery.

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For most of these individuals, it was their very first time seeing an optician and accessing basic eye health care.

"Returning to Kolkata with The Hope Foundation this year was an incredibly meaningful opportunity, and I'm so grateful for it. Sharing this impactful journey with my daughter Abby has made it even more special. Their work alongside street-connected communities is truly transformative, impacting lives for the better. To witness the profound impact of our support firsthand was a privilege, especially the gift of sight we helped provide to thousands. My heartfelt gratitude goes out to everyone who made this possible," Dolores said. 

For the people seen by Specsavers on this trip, receiving glasses is often a life-changing intervention.

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It empowers them to pursue education, secure work to support their families, or simply to enjoy the everyday world with clarity.

The Specsavers team encountered countless inspiring individuals whose lives were profoundly changed by basic eyecare, including Samaresh, a 63-year-old shopkeeper who had struggled with poor vision his entire life, simply believing it was normal.

Receiving bifocal glasses from the pop-up clinic transformed his perception, perfectly encapsulating the profound impact of such a simple intervention.

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Another vital encounter involved a 38-year-old truck driver whose -4 prescription made his job dangerously challenging.

After being fitted with the correct glasses, his world quite literally opened up, powerfully demonstrating why the team returns each year.

The ongoing partnership between Specsavers and The Hope Foundation has been incredibly impactful, with Specsavers raising over €130,000 this year alone.