Record-breaking eye care mission transforms vision for thousands in Providenciales

Turks and Caicos Islands, September 29, 2026 – Beaches Turks and Caicos, the Sandals Foundation, and Great Shape Inc.’s iCare programme have completed a record-breaking one-week humanitarian eye care mission in Providenciales, delivering free optical services to more than 4,800 individuals. The 2026 venture brought together 52 volunteer eye care professionals from the United and Canada who provided comprehensive screenings, advanced laser treatments, and thousands of pairs of glasses to residents across the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The mission’s services covered multiple areas of eye health as medical volunteers conducted over 1,000 health screenings paired with educational sessions on eye care and the risks associated with prolonged screen use. Among the most significant clinical achievements were 122 Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) procedures, a treatment for open-angle glaucoma, and 13 panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) procedures, an outpatient laser therapy used to halt the growth of abnormal, fragile blood vessels on the retina that can cause bleeding and vision loss.

In addition to clinical interventions, the team distributed over 150 pre-made prescription glasses, more than 2,500 sunglasses, and over 1,400 reading glasses during the mission week. A further 700 custom prescription glasses are being completed and will be delivered to patients in the coming weeks. In addition to adults, students from 16 government and non-government schools throughout Providenciales also received vision testing and care.

Kyle Knowles, Minister of Health and Human Services for the Turks and Caicos Islands, praised the collaboration as “timely” and highlighted the unmatched visual support provided to the community. “We are grateful for this continued collaboration with the TCI government and the Sandals Foundation,” Knowles said. “We have seen where these eye care professionals come here and share their expertise with our schools and our communities, free of charge. This is what teamwork looks like here in the Turks and Caicos Islands.”

Deryk Meany, General Manager of Beaches Turks and Caicos, noted the historic scale of the mission. “We have witnessed a record number of optical services being offered this year which augurs well for the people and children of the Turks and Caicos Islands,” Meany said. “The support that the Sandals Foundation and Great Shape Inc.! has received from the government of the TCI is phenomenal. As an organization, we are conscious of the support that is needed and the opportunities that we have to share in this mission.”

Rachel Taylor, Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture emphasized the value of early screening for students in an era of increasing digital device use. “To be able to provide early screening for our students is priceless,” Taylor said. “With the consistent use of gadgets by our children, the health screening and education is timely for us within the education ministry. We are grateful for this support from the Sandals Foundation and the Great Shape team. If there are challenges identified by the team, parents will be able to provide the necessary care for the children.”

For Nadienne Crossman, vice principal of the BEST Institute, the competence and warmth of the volunteer team was a highlight. “The services provided by these professionals was unmatched,” Crossman noted. “The team who visited our school allowed every student to feel comfortable while they were being tested. As teachers, when we got to the community site, we were treated with respect by everyone. To be able to see multiple specialists free of charge was outstanding. Sandals Foundation and the Great Shape team provided a safe space for us to care for our eyes.”

Steven Stern, Founder of iCare, credited the enthusiasm of volunteers and the seamless support from local partners. “The team for this project was enthusiastic with every client that we saw,” Stern said. “They were creative in using technology to assist with translation while they also learned so much about the TCI culture. The support from the Sandals Foundation and the government of the TCI was simply magical. We are looking forward to returning already.”

The Sandals Foundation coordinates logistics and covers costs for transportation, food, and beverages for the iCare clinic and its teams, while Beaches Resorts provides accommodation free of charge. The close of the 2026 mission stands as a testament to the power of cross-sector collaboration — uniting government, hospitality, and nonprofit expertise to safeguard vision and opportunity for an entire community.