Eyeglasses For Afghan Children

U.S. Army Sgt. Caleb Wines is returning to Afghanistan with luggage filled with children's eyeglasses.

Wines, who is an optical laboratory specialist, has been taking part in military-sponsored humanitarian missions to help the elderly Afghan population get proper eye care and eyewear. Wines has also met with young patients in need of glasses.

According to the Houston Chronicle, Wines had few options for those youngsters — the only frames available to him to distribute were large, military-issued frames:

"The main focus were the elderly who could properly wear the glasses," he said. "We saw the kids who had eye injuries from, like, mine incidents."

His problem was featured in a military publication that Wines distributed to family and friends via e-mail, including colleagues at the Eye Clinic of Texas in League City.

Details of Wines' trying to fit youngsters with the large, clunky military frames inspired his co-workers to find frames for the Afghan children.

Dr. Allan Fradkin, an ophthalmologist at the clinic, persuaded the Safilo Group, one of the clinic's main vendors, to donate 50 pairs of frames to help. The clinic pulled additional frames from its inventory to increase the donation to more than 150.

[. . .]

"I am always amazed by the generosity of my fellow Americans to help the less fortunate," Wines said. "This donation will help our cause and the Afghan people more than I can express."

Wines will perform eye exams on Afghan children and then custom-cut the lenses to the donated frames based on individual prescriptions.

Wines is an Army reservist called to duty in February. He was trained as an optician in the military and is a semester shy of earning an engineering degree from Texas A&M University at Galveston.

You've got to love these soldiers of ours.

Comments

[joseph dalbec]

im poor and need some eyeglasses i cant afford any please send me some used eyeglasses thanks.send to joseph dalbec 157 state hwy 35 lot 2 riverfalls, wisconsin,54022.

[bushIsAMurderer]

Oh give me a break. Is this the best you can do? Try http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/10/12/1347201