L-R: EyeScan fundus photograph reader Roxanne Dy, Marketing specialist Charizze Henson, EyeScan fundus photograph reader Jessica Tomagan, Marketing head Audrey Trinidad, Strategic Operations OIC Dr. Patricia Manuel, retina and vitreous specialist Dr. Patricia Quilendrino, Lopez Holdings chairman Manuel M. Lopez, Lopez Group chairman emeritus Oscar M. Lopez, EyeScan director Dr. Louis Jison, ABS-CBN chairman Eugenio Lopez III, Asian Eye president Benjamin Liboro, VP Alwin Sta. Rosa and glaucoma specialist Dr. Edgar LeuenbergerAsian Eye Institute was among the six winners at the Lopez Achievement Awards (LAA) held at Studio 10 in ABS-CBN on October 18, 2017.

Its entry, “Preventing Sight Threatening Diseases Through EyeScan: The First Teleophthalmology Service in the Philippines and Among the First Three Movers in the World,” won in the Customer Focus category.

EyeScan is a prescreening service that can detect risks or signs of sight-threatening problems like cataract, glaucoma, retinal problems and corneal and external disease. Pioneered by Asian Eye in 2015, EyeScan is the institute’s response to the World Health Organization’s call to help eliminate blindness across different sectors by 2020.

According to Asian Eye vice president and general manager Alwin Sta. Rosa, eye care is among the lowest priorities of Filipinos.

“This is why most Filipinos don’t get their eyes checked regularly. Some are afraid to know their eye condition and subscribe to the ‘bahala na’ attitude, while the others are hesitant to pay for eye checkups. In the end, they suffer from vision loss or permanent blindness,” he says.

EyeScan director Dr. Louis Jison explains that EyeScan has been an instrument in reaching out to more people and encouraging them to take charge of their eye health.

“EyeScan is durable and portable, so we can bring it to different locations. People who are always on the go and who fear eye checkups can also benefit from it as it’s quick and noninvasive,” he notes.

EyeScan can detect eye diseases even without doctors or full-clinic facilities.

Jison adds: “It produces quality scans of the front and back parts of the eyes, so we can tell the patients if they have normal vision or if they need further consultation with an eye specialist. In fact, we have patients who expressed their satisfaction with the service, saying that EyeScan has not only saved their vision, it has also saved them from spending a lot for their treatment.”

It is the fourth time that Asian Eye has been recognized by the LAA. It also won in 2008, 2011 and 2014.

“Being recognized by the LAA gives us a sense of fulfillment,” says Sta. Rosa. “We are more empowered to help the Filipinos in the fight against blindness.”

EyeScan is available at Asian Eye Family Vision Center in UP Town Center and Asian Eye Vision Center in HealthFirst Legaspi Towers 200, EyeSite Fairview, St. Frances Cabrini Medical Center, Oasis Commercial Center and other partner clinics. (Story/Photos by: Charizze Henson)