Eye Team Gives Sight to 120

November 1, 2000

When Dr. Sally Mellgren traveled to Chuuk State with a Canvasback eye team in 1998, there were more people needing treatment than the team could handle.

Her heart was touched by the number of islanders in need of both primary and follow up eye care.

Sally felt a calling to go back to care for the people. So the Carlsbad, Calif. ophthalmologist decided then and there to return to Chuuk and do just that. 

This time, she was joined by ophthalmologists Arthur Giebel and Robert Shearer, retinal specialist Dennis Snider, optometrist Richard Graham, operating nurse Nancy Moore, prep nurse Lauren Petford and clinic coordinator Lee Clymer. The team worked one week each 1in Kosrae and one week in Chuuk.

A post-op. exam brings good news for Dr. Sally Mellgren and her happy patient.

(See Album for more Eye Team photos.) 

The team performed 605 examinations and 120 surgical procedures, and dispensed 390 pair of eyeglasses. In all, they provided more than $524,000 in services and $83,565 worth of supplies (based on 2000 Medicare Reimbursement and Northern Calif. Surgical Center Rates.)

In addition to various cataract and pterygium surgeries, the team provided YAG laser treatments (which remove the cloudy membrane that develops after cataract surgery). Dr. Snider also trained Drs. Aminis David and Winston Likiasa on the use of the Argon laser, which helps to slow or arrest damage to the eyes from diabetes.

Drs. David and Likiasa are the only native ophthalmologists in the entire Federated States of Micronesia. Talented and dedicated physicians, they have nevertheless been severely limited by a lack of supplies and equipment. When a Canvasback team visits their island, they pack in dozens of boxes containing everything they need to do surgery.

Canvasback would like to thank Alcon Laboratories and Starr Surgical Company for their generosity in donating supplies for our eye teams, and SEE International for loaning us equipment and providing supplies. We would also like to thank Continental Airlines for providing excess baggage clearance over many years.