Ophthalmology
Medical Specialties
Established in 1991, the Tenwek Eye Clinic started from humble beginnings in a corner room of the main hospital with aspirations to help the seemingly endless eyecare needs in rural Bomet County, Kenya. In the first year of service, 18 intracapsular cataract surgeries were performed. Since then, the eye clinic has grown exponentially. With the construction of a separate Eye and Dental building in 2018, the Tenwek Eye Clinic now serves over 20,000 patients annually from across the continent and performs over 2,700 surgeries each year in all ophthalmic subspecialities. In addition, the clinic serves as a focal hub for short-term cataract missions into rural Kenya and surrounding East African Countries.
With 12% of the world’s population, Sub-Sahara Africa represents one of the areas on Earth with the most acute need for ophthalmic care.1 Although there are some 4.3 million people legally blind and 15 million with visual impairment in this region of the world, there are fewer than 2.5 ophthalmologists per million people to meet this need.1 In relative terms, this means there are 135x more ophthalmologists per population in American than Sub-Sahara Africa. In this area of immense physical suffering, Tenwek Eye Clinic seeks to “let y[our] light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
Photo: Dean WH, Buchan JC, Gichuhi S, et al. Ophthalmology training in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review. Eye 2021;35:1066-83.
Department Staff
Our team, at any given moment, comprises of a multi-disciplinary group of talented individuals including but not limited to Kenyan Ophthalmologists and Ophthalmic Clinical Officers, International Ophthalmologists, nurses, billings and IT support staff, technicians, optometrists, chaplains, pharmacists, custodians, research and grant support staff, trainees, and volunteers. Like the analogy of a body given in 1 Corinthians, all members support a common goal and are indispensable to our goal of “sharing the light, restoring vision”.
What to Expect
A typical week starts 7:30 AM Monday with devotions and a full clinic day of about 200-300 patients presenting with the full gamut of eye complaints across all subspeciality disciplines. Thankfully we have a dedicated imaging department providing top-notch diagnostic support including OCT imaging, Visual Fields, fundus imaging, fluorescein angiography, B scans, IOL Master, and Pentacam topography. Patients requiring surgical interventions are “admitted” and sent a floor downstairs in our Eye and Dental Clinic building for surgery Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. Clinic runs at a reduced load of 100-200 patients daily for the remainder of the week while the team performs 50 to 70 surgeries.
The operating room (or theater as it’s known here) is well equipped with Zeiss microscopes, the Alcon Constellation for retina surgeries, the Alcon Infiniti platform for phacoemulsification, in addition to other surgical instruments needed for care across all other subspeciality disciplines. We bookend Friday with devotionals in the morning again and save the Theater for any spillover cases or Emergencies that might arise. Most days start at 7:30AM and run until 4:30 to 5:30 with an hour lunch break at 1PM.
How You Can Help
God Time
Intentionally pursue God daily as a follower of Jesus being rooted in Him and hold us up in prayer regularly. The story past, present, and future of Tenwek Eye Clinic is the story of our inadequacy and God’s supply. “Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” (Psalm 127:1). Seek the LORD on our behalf to continue to build the work He has established.
Group Time
Our team here at Tenwek Eye Clinic is a mini version of the body of Christ. We realize that we are a part of the much bigger version of the body known as the global church. Each member plays a role collectively in advancing God’s kingdom. Meet as a group and consider how the talents given to your group may advance God’s kingdom here at Tenwek and around the world.
Give Time
The financial needs of running a growing, top-tier eye clinic in a developing country are seemingly endless. We very much rely on faith, the generosity of fellow believers, and wisdom from above. If God has entrusted you with the gift of giving, we pray that you would do so generously (Romans 12:8).
Go Time
Consider serving the LORD with us on a short-term or long-term basis.
Visit Tenwek Hospital
Learn more about visiting us and the Hospital