UJ takes eye care on the road with R2.5m mobile clinic - TimesLIVE

For a child struggling to see the classroom board or an adult whose poor vision affects their ability to work, something as simple as a pair of spectacles can make a major difference.

But for people living far from eye care services, getting tested and collecting spectacles can mean extra transport costs, time away from school or work, and another journey they may not be able to make.

The University of Johannesburg (UJ), in partnership with the South African Muslim Charitable Trust (SAMCT), hopes to address this gap with a new R2.5m mobile optometry clinic.

UJ officially launched and handed over the fully equipped clinic on Monday. It is designed to provide comprehensive eye examinations, assess eye health and manufacture spectacles on site.

Prof Nabeela Hasrod Gany, head of UJ’s department of optometry, said the project was about more than simply diagnosing people with vision problems.

“Diagnosis without access to the solution is not enough. This project is about more than a vehicle, it’s about closing the loop between diagnosis and immediate treatment by bringing clinicians, equipment and a spectacle lab to communities,” she said.

“We can identify the problem and, where possible, provide the spectacles that solve it – right there in the community.”

The need for accessible eye care is significant. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), at least 2.2-billion people worldwide live with near or distance vision impairment, while at least 1-billion cases could have been prevented or remain unaddressed.

The WHO also estimates that two out of every three people in low-income countries who need spectacles do not have access to them.

UJ’s department of optometry has already been taking eye-care services into communities through its outreach programme. In 2025, the department conducted 53 outreach initiatives, examined about 5,520 patients and provided 1,038 pairs of spectacles free of charge.

UJ vice-chancellor and principal Prof Letlhokwa Mpedi said the figures represented more than just statistics.

“Those numbers are significant, and behind each number is a person. Let’s not forget that a child trying to see what is written on a classroom board, an adult whose vision affects their ability to work, an older person for whom clear vision can mean greater independence. This is where the importance of today’s launch becomes clear,” he said.

Traditional outreach programmes can however, leave a gap between diagnosing a patient and providing the spectacles they need.

The new mobile clinic has a spectacle-cutting laboratory, allowing lenses to be edged and glazed on site. This means patients can potentially have their eyes examined, receive a prescription and have their spectacles made and dispensed during the same outreach visit.

Mpedi said the clinic would change how UJ reached patients.

“The UJ-SAMCT Mobile Optometry Clinic changes the geography of that relationship. Instead of waiting for the patient to come to the university, the university can go to the patient. We believe that access to health care shouldn’t be determined simply by where a person lives, or by the resources available to them.”

The clinic is expected to be particularly useful for people whose uncorrected vision affects their education, employment, independence and quality of life.

Globally, vision impairment is associated with an estimated US$411bn in productivity losses each year.

SAMCT trustee Shabir Chohan proposed that the model be replicated nationally and expanded into other areas of community development. The trust said it would explore partnerships with other faculties and donors to expand the initiative.

The clinic’s first community deployment will be in Cosmo City during World Sight Day in October.

It will provide eye examinations and spectacle services directly to residents while also giving UJ optometry students an opportunity to gain practical experience outside the university.

The mobile clinic will serve two purposes: bringing eye care closer to communities and helping train future optometrists to understand the challenges people face in accessing health care.

For UJ, the initiative is part of a broader effort to combine teaching, community engagement and social impact while taking health-care services beyond its campuses.