Interested in Joining a Mission?
Contact the mission leader to express your interest.
Fill out and print the Mission Registration Form, the Release of Liability Form and mail these along with any required fees and the copy of your passport to the mission leader.
For those new to the optical field, review A Short Course to Optical Genius to become familiar with the terminology used and to gain an understanding of how prescriptions for eyeglasses are written and what the numbers mean.
See the suggested list of What to Bring for items to consider when packing.
Travel insurance is optional and may be purchased individually if desired. Here is a link to travel insurance suggested by VOSH/International: http://www.aaintl.com
Things to Keep in Mind:
Space is limited, and we want to serve as many people as possible. All team members are expected to work as part of the VOSH team each clinic day at our destination.
The final makeup of the mission team will be determined by the trip leader and will be based on several factors including space available on flights, buses, etc., and the number of ophthalmic personnel who have volunteered.
Aside from personal luggage (one piece of checked luggage is allowed), we carry 50 lb. boxes of eyeglasses and supplies with us which need to be moved at airports, work sites, in and out of trucks and buses, etc. Local volunteers often coordinate these efforts at our destination, but mission participants can expect to help with these tasks as well.
Volunteers with significant health issues may be asked to obtain clearance from their doctor indicating they are well enough to travel to and spend time in areas and climates that may be harsh or very warm.
Whenever possible, volunteers are asked to help sort and pack eyeglasses prior to the mission. For those in the metro area, sorting workshops are held at Crystal Vision Clinic on the first and third Tuesday evenings of the month. Packing sessions may occasionally be planned outside of the metro, or ophthalmic personnel may be asked to help by neutralizing glasses to be used on current or future missions.