ASCRS Foundation’s Robert Sinskey Institute Needs Diagnostic EquipmentIncreasing Patient Volume Strains Current Capacity

Additional diagnostic equipment is needed for the ASCRS Foundation’s Robert Sinskey Eye Institute in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Sinskey Eye Institute is the foundation’s lead humanitarian project, and will treat over 12,000 patients this year – a 20% increase over 2010. With the ever-increasing patient volume has come the need to replace some older and/or non-functioning equipment.

The foundation is appealing directly to ASCRS members for tax-deductible donations of used, but still reliable, equipment.

The need for eyecare in Ethiopia is nearly limitless, and patient volume has grown each year since the Sinskey Eye Institute’s opening in 2005. Now employing a full time staff of 11, the Institute must replace some of its older equipment in order to keep pace with the demand.

The foundation has created an Equipment Donation page listing the needed diagnostic equipment, along with a donation form that can be emailed directly to the foundation.

Interested donors are asked to contact the foundation by phone at (703) 591-2200 before shipping any equipment.

“Many ASCRS members had the opportunity to meet Dr. Kefyalew, the lead surgeon at the Sinskey Eye Institute, during the ASCRS 2011 Annual Meeting,” said Pranav Amin, MD, Chairman of the ASCRS Foundation‘s Humanitarian Committee. “He has done remarkable work in Ethiopia with extremely limited supplies. I urge you to consider a tax-deductible equipment donation to enable continued service where it’s needed most.”

The needed diagnostic equipment includes:

Autorefractor IOL Master (v3 or later) Tono-Pen (or equivalent)

Autoclave (medium size) SLT/YAG Laser OCT Imaging System