A team of Long Island eye doctors and vision care specialists gathered on Feb. 12 at Woodbury Optical (185 Woodbury Rd. in Hicksville) to announce a mercy mission leaving tomorrow heading to the Dominican Republic to provide free eyeglasses to children living in some of the poorest and underserved communities in that country.
“It’s a mission of hope, and we are all thrilled to be doing our part to help poor children see clearly for the first time,” said Dr. Dean Hart, founder of Woodbury Optical, which donated thousands of pairs of eyeglasses to the cause. “We are going down there on our own dime because we feel that everyone deserves to be able to see 20/20.”
The group gathered thousands of pairs of glasses, plus other supplies and equipment in advance of the international voyage of goodwill and humanitarianism. The crew of experts will be leaving this weekend with the goal of treating the thousands of vision-impaired Dominican children whose families can’t afford glasses.
“The Moreano World Medical Mission has been doing this for over 20 years and we are thrilled to be able to support this wonderful good cause,” said New York State Assemblyman Chuck Lavine. “Dr. Moreano and Dr. Hart are leading the charge to make this world a better place.”
Local Optometrists and Woodbury Optical planned the trip by partnering with the Moreano World Medical Mission, founded in 1999, to provide volunteer medical services and training in areas of the world where most doctors would not go.
