Guatemala

While there are around 300 ophthalmologists in Guatemala, they are concentrated in the capi­tal, Guatemala City. Guatemala faces significant disparities in access to eye care, particularly in rural western regions such as San Marcos. There, limited specialist availability, transportation barriers, and high rates of poverty restrict access to timely diagnosis and treatment. Cataract, advanced glaucoma, and diabetic eye disease remain important causes of preventable vision loss.  The University of Kentucky UK GO and Dr. Seema Capoor have been working in close collaboration with the Hospital de la Familia, in Nuevo Progresso, San Marcos. The hospital serves an area of about 4 million with less than 10 ophthalmologists. UK GO supports their efforts by helping to bring eye care and advanced surgical training in the area of cataract and cornea transplants to local ophthalmologists.