Dominican

Republic

Nearly 60% of the population falls into low socioeconomic classes, indicating widespread poverty. This emphasizes the pressing need for interventions to combat poverty and enhance living conditions nationwide. Due to these high poverty rates, many people face limited access to healthcare services. Additionally, the DR recently graduated its first batch of optometry students, marking a milestone in formal training. Before this, individuals primarily learned as technicians without formal optometry education.

Tailored healthcare interventions, such as our "QuieroVer" school screening program for children, address diverse age-specific needs effectively. With four years of experience in low-income Dominican communities, CharityVision's equipment donations, surgical supplies, and monitoring efforts aim to improve healthcare access and outcomes in underserved areas, bridging the gap between public and private paying patients. In addition, our optometry and nurse training programs aim to continue to build better optometrists in the country.
First round of optometry students from [school]. Trying to start a residency program.
Dr. Batle and Nicole are helping with the Santiago outreaches.
LDS Church outreaches in Santo Domingo and Santiago.
CharityVision is supporting the Bayaguana eye clinic to welcome more paying and social patients. In exchange, Bayaguana is helping us bring the consumables and equipment.

Our Partners

Current Projects

Quiero Ver Program – Santo Domingo

In 2024, the QuieroVer program served 15,450 students in vulnerable schools in Santo Domingo, offering free vision screenings. Children needing further care are referred to our ophthalmology partners, many of whom received free glasses and are seeing clearly for the first time.
This initiative is made possible by the generosity of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Cataract and Pterygium Surgeries

In partnership with local clinics such as CECANOT, Refracta, Oftalmolaser, and Funvision, we perform ophthalmic surgeries for underserved patients. In 2024, a total of 1,587 surgeries were carried out, restoring sight to hundreds of individuals.
Eyeglasses and Equipment Donations

We distribute eyeglasses to patients with refractive errors and donate ophthalmic equipment to partner clinics. In 2024, 2,174 pairs of eyeglasses were provided.
Strategic Partnerships and Mobile Clinics

We collaborate with institutions such as the Dominican Optometry Association, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, CECANOT, Oftalmolaser, Funvision, and Clínica Bayaguana to deliver mobile clinics to communities in Santiago, Santo Domingo, Bayaguana, Yamasa, and San Antonio de Guerra.

“Working at CharityVision is not ordinary to me—it means much more. Mainly, it provides service opportunities for my people and my country. It makes miracles happen, and being part of a greater cause than myself feels good. More than co-workers, we are a big family that changes Haitian lives through vision. I love our mission and our commitment to it.”
Spencer@charityvision.org

“Working at CharityVision is not ordinary to me—it means much more. Mainly, it provides service opportunities for my people and my country. It makes miracles happen, and being part of a greater cause than myself feels good.”
Valerin@charityvision.org

GLASSES DONATED:
3,402

OUTREACHES:
103

PATIENTS SCREENED:
36,150

SURGERIES PERFORMED:
488

See all annual reports here.

Stories from the field

Empowering efficiency

Our Latin American directors convened in the Dominican Republic to strengthen partnerships, share expertise, and optimize school eye screenings for greater efficiency this year.
Church Provides Eyecare In The D.R. 🇩🇴

Since starting our partnership with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Dominican Republic last month, we have donated 95 glasses and screened 894 children in local schools. This is just the start – our alliance will help 50 schools and 15,000 children this year.
Marco

This is Marco, a preschooler among the 623 children aged 4 to 12 who were screened at the Padres de la Patria School in Santo Domingo. He is thrilled to get glasses in his favorite color, blue. His mother notes that he often held objects close to see clearly and frequently felt eye discomfort. She explained, “I want him to see well so he can learn!”
Going Where Others Won’t

Last month, CharityVision conducted an eye screening at Santa Filomena Elementary School in Los Guandules—one of the most underserved areas of Santo Domingo. Despite difficult access and a community often overlooked due to stigma and discrimination, our team and partners screened dozens of children, prescribed 71 pairs of glasses, and referred 7 for further care with an ophthalmologist through one of our local partners.
This is exactly where sight-saving work matters most!