Since the last report on eye disease in Western Samoa in 1959 by Dr Elliott, the population has increased from 97 000 to 158 000. The country now has a full-time ophthalmologist but could benefit from a larger eye care service.

The distribution of disease is very similar to that found in 1959, with pterygium, cataract and injuries comprising the most frequent eye problems. Acute angle-closure glaucoma is much more common than open-angle glaucoma and is associated with a plateau ins configuration.

An upcoming medical mission will provide families in Western Samoa with much-needed eye care.

Two students from the John A. Burns School of Medicine and a group of local ophthalmologists will travel there in July.

They plan to screen people for eye diseases and provide them with nearly 2,000 pairs of reading glasses and sunglasses.

“There is a big need. The island where we going is called the island of Savai’i and that island has about 43.000 people on it and very limited medical care, there is really no eye care on the island,”

said Chris Small, who came up with the idea.

The mission is sponsored by the Hawaii Ophthalmolgical Society.