Optometry students Alexandra Buffington and Vivien Pham, who will both graduate in May 2025, recently participated in a service trip to Guatemala through I Care International. (Photos courtesy of Dr. Linda Marks)

While working at an eye exam station during a service trip to Guatemala last month, Alexandra Buffington had a particularly memorable experience with a mom who had brought her baby in to be seen by the team of optometrists. The mom believed her young son had an eye infection, but Buffington, a student in the College of Optometry at the University of Missouri–St. Louis, was soon able to let her know that he actually had a nasolacrimal duct obstruction – a common and relatively harmless condition in newborns. It was welcome news for the baby’s mother – and a gratifying experience that will stay with Buffington.

“The mother was so scared and worried for her child, and I was able to talk to her and reassure her that her child was healthy and did not have an eye infection but instead a condition that typically goes away on its own with time,” Buffington said. “Seeing the relief on her face that a simple conversation could provide was amazing.”

Buffington and fellow student Vivien Pham – who will both graduate from the College of Optometry next month – joined Associate Clinical Professor Dr. Linda Marks to provide eye care during a service trip to Guatemala through I Care International in early March. Over the course of four days in the towns of Panimatzalam and San Lucas Tolimán, the group of volunteers examined approximately 1,100 patients.

Alongside several licensed ODs, Alexandra Buffington and Vivien Pham worked at an eye exam station to determine each patient’s prescription and check the health of the eyes.

Buffington and Pham worked at an eye exam station alongside several licensed ODs performing retinoscopy to determine each patient’s prescription and direct ophthalmoscopy exams to check the health of the eyes. After the exams, patients were given a pair of glasses, if needed. Pham saw many patients she’ll never forget – including a 4-year-old who had already developed cataracts – and enjoyed being able to see how much of a difference a simple pair of glasses can make in someone’s life.

“I really appreciated being able to see patients who could tell the difference between having no glasses at all and something really close to their prescription,” she said. “I would pop it in front of their eyes, and then I could see their faces light up. And it was just a great experience, just to see the instant gratification of them being able to see better. They just smiled immediately.”

In Guatemala, Buffington and Pham were able to build on a shared interest in humanitarian work. Pham has always wanted to participate in a humanitarian trip during school but always had scheduling conflicts, so she jumped at the chance to accompany Marks to Guatemala. Buffington, meanwhile, had previously traveled to clinics in Fishkill, New York, and Atlanta, Georgia, through UMSL’s Student Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity chapter and couldn’t wait to build on the experience.

“I had done two other service trips during optometry school, which were both so fulfilling,” Buffington said. “When I heard about this opportunity, I immediately wanted to go since I’ve had such great experiences with previous service trips. Not only is it rewarding to help those in need, but this trip was also a chance to travel and see a different part of the world.”

This was Dr. Marks’ fifth clinic trip to Guatemala since 2015 and she was impressed by the worth ethic and compassion shown by Pham and Buffington. “One of the best parts of these trips is working alongside the UMSL interns and witnessing them provide such great care to the patients,” she said. “The I Care team is always so complimentary of our students and appreciative that they are willing to donate their time to join the clinic.”

As they look toward graduating next month and taking the next step in their careers, both Buffington and Pham hope to continue to do humanitarian work in the future. Pham is currently job hunting in her hometown of Kansas City and hopes to work in a private practice seeing patients of all ages. Outside of her own community, she’d like to be able to continue to serve lower-income communities and offer eye care to those in need on future humanitarian trips – perhaps even returning to Guatemala.

Vivien Pham and Alexandra Buffington accompanied Dr. Linda Marks from the College of Optometry (right) on the trip.

“It made me feel really good when I left, and it’s a feeling that I want to have again,” she said. “I just want to keep serving the people around me. I would love for everyone to step out of their comfort zone here and there and serve people who have less than them, because it really makes you grateful for what you do have. I would recommend it to anybody.”

Buffington will be moving to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to work at Lenscrafters through the company’s Financial Freedom program, which helps new grads pay back their student loans. Like Pham, she’d love to continue doing humanitarian work in the years to come.

“This trip taught me so much about how important and appreciated our help can be to people who need it,” she said. “Everyone deserves to see the world clearly and get the care they deserve, and if I can help make that happen even for a few people, then these trips are worth it.”