NGO Collaborations

Since 2010, we have been collaborating uninterruptedly as a founding member of OCULARIS NGO, a non-profit association led by Dr. Joan Prat. We have initiated a teaching and assistance program for the manufacturing of ocular prosthetics in Mozambique, with the aim of training specialists and establishing a permanent and autonomous service in the country.

In sub-Saharan Africa, many people affected by orbital tumors often arrive at clinics in such advanced stages that their eyes need to be removed to save their lives. After the intervention, the aesthetic damage is such that only a prosthetic identical to the removed eye allows these individuals to regain some normalcy.

Our training

Our ocular prosthetics training runs in parallel with the Oculoplasty Master’s program, complementing each other and providing comprehensive patient care. Ophthalmologists and ocularists work together, forming a cohesive team of professionals.

Currently, our team comprises over twenty individuals with diverse backgrounds, including professionals from ophthalmology, optometry, ocularists, as well as volunteers and specialists in project management, finance, and communication.

Our ocular prosthetics course is designed around three main objectives:

Objective 1:

Prosthesis Adaptation

Basic training for technical personnel from different regions of the country. This approach involves adapting a prefabricated prosthesis to each patient’s eye to achieve the most natural result possible. It offers the evident advantage of immediacy and material savings, both essential aspects in the African countries where we operate.

Objective 2:

Prosthesis Fabrication

Advanced training for a technician from the Maputo Central Hospital to be capable of manufacturing custom-made prosthetics from scratch. This is our primary goal when working there, as we believe it is the best way to ensure the permanence and dissemination of this service.

Objective 3

Facial Epithesis/Prosthesis Fabrication

This type of prosthesis is more complex as it replaces not only the eye but also the eyelid or part of the face. In addition to reproducing the exact skin tone and facial features, the prosthesis must fit perfectly to avoid any discomfort or irritation. This necessitates seamless collaboration between ophthalmologists and prosthetists.

To donate and read more about OCULARIS NGO, visit:

“With this course, not only will I be able to improve the lives of my own family by pursuing a new profession, but I also hope to restore my patients’ appearance to what it was before they lost their eyes and, above all, their self-esteem. Our work helps them feel better, and this perspective of serving my people makes me very happy.”

Felizardo Felex Pinto, Student of the Ocular Prosthetics Training Program

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