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At a glance

St Lucia, an island populated by approximately 160,000 people, has a dynamic history, changing possession 14 times between England and France throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. It gained independence in 1979 and eye health is now one of the 12 priorities on the St Lucia National Strategic Plan (2006-2011). The main causes of blindness and visual impairment in St Lucia are cataract, refractive error, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma.

Sightsavers in St Lucia

We have recently begun work on a European Union funded five-year project 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 St Lucia we will support the training and development of 2 refractionists, 2 optometrists, 1 ophthalmologist, 1 low vision specialist, 7 low vision councillors, approximately 120 primary health care workers, 1 spectacle lab technician, 1 maintenance technician, 1 vision centre, 1 spectacle lab 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 St Lucia.

More about our work in St Lucia

Sightsavers supports the work of the St Lucia Blind Welfare Association (SLBWA), which was set up in 1972 with help from our partner the Caribbean Council for the Blind (CCB). SLBWA is a non-governmental organisation mandated by the Parliament of St Lucia to coordinate the education, rehabilitation, eye health and general welfare of blind and visually impaired persons.

We also offer continued support to rehabilitation workers, and help provide rehabilitation services and skills development of eye care staff on the island to ensure high quality refractive error and low vision services are available and accessible.