Restoring Sight to Those in Need

Dr. Haverly’s Volunteer Mission to Guatemala: Restoring Sight to Those in Need

From November 17 to 21, 2025, Dr. Robert Haverly and members of our team traveled to the mountains of Guatemala for a volunteer mission focused on restoring sight in one of the most underserved regions of Central America. During this trip, Dr. Haverly and the team performed 90 sight-restoring surgeries—mostly on patients who were completely blind from advanced cataracts or severe pterygium. Many of these patients walked in unable to see a hand in front of their face and walked out the next day seeing again. Indeed, the mission for Dr. Haverly was truly aimed at restoring sight to those in need.

The mission took place at Hospital Evangélico El Buen Samaritano in Chichicastenango, a small village high in the Guatemalan highlands. Access to medical care there is limited, especially specialty care like ophthalmology. For many of the patients we met, losing their vision meant losing independence, income, and the ability to care for their families. Thanks to Dr. Haverly’s volunteer mission, those in need began to see hope again.

Seeing their reactions when the eye patch came off—the smiles, the tears, the surprise—was something none of us will forget.

Helping Beyond Cataracts

While the main focus was cataract and pterygium surgery, Dr. Haverly also saw dozens of patients with retinal and corneal diseases. Many had never been evaluated by an eye specialist before. Even when surgery wasn’t needed, getting these patients properly examined, diagnosed, and treated made a meaningful difference. Dr. Haverly’s mission aimed at the greater medical needs, truly restoring sight as a core part of the mission for those in need of such care.

Working With Central American and South American Ophthalmologists

A big part of the trip was working with local healthcare providers. Dr. Haverly spent time teaching and operating alongside:

Residents and trainees from Guatemala,  Honduras, and Peru

Attending ophthalmologists from Universidad Francisco Marroquín in Guatemala City

Sharing surgical techniques and clinical experience helps ensure that patients in the region will continue to receive quality eye care long after visiting teams leave. Collaborating with these professionals was crucial to the success of Dr. Haverly’s mission to restore sight.

A Meaningful Experience

This was an unforgettable trip for everyone involved. It was inspiring to meet so many people who simply needed a chance to see again—and humbling to be able to help them. Dr. Haverly returned home with a renewed commitment to continue this work and already looks forward to going back. Restoring sight to those in need is not just a mission, but a calling for Dr. Haverly.

We will be sharing photos from the mission soon, capturing the moments when patients opened their eyes and saw their loved ones clearly for the first time in years.

https://www.erielasereye.com/our-services-lasik-eye-surgery/cataract-surgery-with-dr-haverly/