SOS Visión: ophthalmology for the most vulnerable groups
Miranza has launched the SOS Visión charity programme, with which we wanted to help reduce vision problems for people in vulnerable situations between July 2021 and July 2022. Our study on “Eye health in a pandemic” found that the COVID-19 crisis was significantly affecting the eye health of Spaniards and, in order to make access to eye care easier, we launched this initiative, which is especially aimed at people awaiting surgery or care in this speciality, mainly among the most vulnerable people during the pandemic.
Who can benefit from SOS Vision?
Specifically, pensioners earning less than 1,000 euros per month and self-employed people who have had to close their business or stop their activities for at least 4 months, between March 2021 and June 2021, are eligible for SOS Visión. Moreover, professionals in the tourism sector who were furloughed (ERTE) in the Balearic Islands and Tenerife were also able to access SOS Visión. Until 31 June 2022, the programme has offered special financial conditions for visits, diagnostic tests and treatments.
The initiative has sought to benefit people with limited resources and whose chronic eye diseases, such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy or AMD, were at risk of worsening and causing irreversible vision loss. These groups were affected by increased waiting times for cataract surgery and other treatments.
Facilitating access to the best eye care
According to Ramón Berra, the group’s general manager, “SOS Visión responds to our mission and commitment to make the best ophthalmology accessible to the greatest number of people. Within the current pandemic framework, our commitment to patients has led us to implement special measures to help them as much as possible.”
As the eye health study carried out by Miranza in December 2020 points out, 5 out of 10 ophthalmologists surveyed found that more cases of patients with more serious or advanced diseases were arriving at their offices.
