Program Overview

International Ophthalmology Program in American Samoa

The International Ophthalmology Program in American Samoa is a collaborative effort between the Casey Eye Institute and American Samoa to develop long-term strategies for educating and empowering eye care professionals. The program aims to deliver modern eye care at the L.B.J. Tropical Medical Center and address issues of preventable blindness in the territory.

Current State of Eye Care in American Samoa

Geographic isolation and societal transitions have a significant impact on health and medical care in American Samoa. With only two ophthalmologists in the territory, the growing population relies heavily on a small number of health professionals for eye care. The geographic isolation of the territory limits resources and makes accessing continuing education opportunities challenging.

Program Focus Areas

The program focuses on the following areas:

• Providing educational and logistical support for Samoan doctors to become high-quality ophthalmologists, clinically, surgically, and as leaders in public health.
• Offering educational support onsite at OHSU and online for eye care professionals, such as ophthalmic technicians and nurses, to deliver important components of exams, diagnostic tests, treatments, and patient education.
• Supporting biomedical engineers who care for the instruments crucial to studying eye health in American Samoa.
• Providing education materials on diabetes, sun exposure, worker safety, and other subjects to eye care advocates, enabling them to inform the population about preventative eye care, eye care services, and improve recruitment of patients to clinical care centers.

Ophthalmic Technician Training Program

The Ophthalmic Technician Training Program is an effort to build capacity for eye care in American Samoa. The program has supported employees from the LBJ Tropical Medical Center to visit the Casey Eye Institute for intensive hands-on training in diagnostic testing as ophthalmic technicians. The training includes:

• Ocular terminology
• Anatomy and diseases of the eye
• Visual acuity measurements
• Pupil assessments
• Confrontational fields
• Mobility assessment
• Tonometry
• Lensometry
• Refractions

Dr. Ben Siatu'u

Dr. Ben Siatu'u, an ophthalmologist in American Samoa, collaborates with the Casey Eye Institute. He began a formal full ophthalmology internship and residency at OHSU in 2013 and later underwent a transition year of ophthalmology surgical intensive training on-site in American Samoa. Through this training and ongoing collaborative exchanges, Dr. Siatu'u has grown professionally to manage a broad array of complex medical and surgical ophthalmology care, becoming a leader in eye care in the territory and a key member of the overall leadership team for the American Samoan governmental health system.