A transformative eye care trip to Senegal

Student-organized volunteer trip provided students with global experience and clinical education – and plenty of eye care to underserved rural regions.

A group of optometry students recently returned from a student Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (sVOSH) eye care outreach trip to Senegal. Their experience was not only a chance to apply their growing expertise but also a deeply personal journey into global health care.

School of Optometry and Vision Science staff member Peter Stirling, who has longstanding ties to Senegal and also volunteered his time to help organize the trip, sat down with Owen Alstad (president) and Catherine Huynh (vice president) of sVOSH Waterloo, the student co-leaders of the trip, to hear what inspired them, what they learned, and how the trip has shaped their perspectives.

By Peter Stirling

Owen: Entering optometry, we all hear about VOSH as something akin to Doctors Without Borders, where we can apply our studies toward a humanitarian effort. The trips beyond Canada provide us with an opportunity to see firsthand how prescribing glasses and checking eye health can truly change someone’s life. Growing up in Canada, we often take vision care for granted. Knowing I had the skill set and could apply it while also solidifying what I’ve learned was a huge motivator.

Catherine: One highlight came on the very first day of clinic. There was a rush of patients and I was still trying to get my bearings with the clinic flow and techniques. One patient had a significant prescription of -6.00D or -7.00D and getting him to see the 20/20 line on the tumbling E chart was incredible. It felt like I was finally using all the skills I’d been building over the past two years.

As someone who is -11.00D myself, I deeply empathize with how difficult it is to navigate life without proper vision correction. Being able to provide that was a powerful moment.

Owen: One of the most memorable highlights for me was working in optical services, which is the final step in dispensing glasses. I was with Marlee Stirling, who volunteered with the team as a French translator, and she shared with me that one woman simply said, “I can see now.” That moment stuck with me. Another patient told her, “I’m on this journey with you; thank you for being here.” The appreciation was overwhelming.

Owen: Before optometry school, I took a year off and did research in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. That experience of working with Indigenous communities was one of the most impactful of my life. It made me realize how much I want to help underserved populations, especially within Canada. When I learned about VOSH and attended the presentations, I knew this was the path that could help me build the skills to do that in the future.

Senegal stood out because it offered the closest experience to what I envisioned. We were responsible for everything—clinic flow, bringing drops and glasses, running the clinic as students. That hands-on experience is something I’ll carry into my career and hopefully use to support communities here in Canada.

Owen: There were definitely challenges. In rural areas, we saw advanced diseases. One of the hardest moments was having to tell a young patient that they had lost their vision and there was nothing we could do. It was the end of a long day, and that was our last patient. Not being able to fully communicate or comfort them due to the language barrier made it even harder.

Catherine: One of the biggest challenges was communication. There was a language barrier on multiple fronts. I picked up some French from teammates, but in rural Senegal, French isn’t always the primary language—Wolof and other local languages were more common. So we would often have a chain of translation: English to French and then French to Wolof or another language. It was fascinating but also frustrating, especially when you’re tired and seeing 40 to 50 patients a day.

Owen: Absolutely. I’d love to return to Senegal specifically because it provides an opportunity to be involved in planning the trip and managing the logistics. Coming back in the future as an optometry supervisor would be incredibly valuable. It would offer a whole new perspective. One particularly nice element of this year’s trip was that our two optometry supervisors, Drs. Grace Sim and Sharon Kang (both OD ’22), were members of the VOSH trip in 2020 that had to be cancelled due to Covid.

Catherine: I would definitely go again. This trip sparked something in me—I know I’ll be doing trips like this throughout my career. It’s a meaningful way to see the world and also give back.

Coming from an immigrant background, I also feel a personal connection to this kind of work. My father fled Vietnam by boat and eventually made it to Canada through UNICEF support in Malaysia. I’d love to return to Vietnam one day and provide eye care there too. That would be deeply meaningful. I’m also interested in organizing future trips and continuing work with Indigenous communities in Canada, especially in the North.

Owen: Absolutely. In Senegal we weren’t dilating most patients, so we had to get used to doing techniques on small pupils. When I came back, my use of a binocular indirect ophthalmoscope and also my retinoscopy skills were significantly better. Seeing so many patients in such a short time really sharpened my clinical abilities.

Catherine: It’s also been impactful socially. I made strong connections with colleagues who share the same passion. Being surrounded by like-minded people was inspiring. I’ve started exploring other humanitarian organizations like Mercy Ships, who partnered with our Senegal trip last year to provide cataract surgeries for those who needed them. Clinically, I’ve become more confident too.

Catherine: It all went by so quickly. It’s hard to even process yet. But I’m grateful for everything we saw—especially the advanced diseases we encountered so early in our academic careers. We met health ministers, saw the impact we were making, and even got featured in a news article. I sent that to my parents—they were so proud.

Owen: Gratitude. That’s the biggest thing for me. I’m incredibly thankful to everyone who helped organize or volunteered for the trip as well as to the community members who were so welcoming. The Faculty of Science, which helped support VOSH financially, was also so helpful in making this trip a reality. I'd also like to thank our optometry supervisors, Drs. Sharon Kang and Grace Sim. These trips would not be possible without the support of optometrists who are willing to travel and oversee the clinics. Thanks also to everyone who participated in or contributed to our fundraisers.