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n honor of Kartini Day on April 21, National Educational Day on May 2 and National Awakening Day on May 20, the Denpasar Education Board, in cooperation with the Indonesian Humanitarian Organization (YKI), held a two-day free eye treatment event for elementary school teachers in Denpasar.

Eye examination services and 1,000 spectacles were provided for teachers at the front yard in Rumah Pintar (Smart House)'s front yard, in the Education Board compound on Jl. Kamboja, on Monday and Tuesday.

Meanwhile, cataract operations will soon be conducted in the YKI's Eye Treatment Mobile Clinic vehicle.

The Denpasar Education Board is the umbrella organization of the Parents and Teachers Associations of every school in the city.

The organizing committee head, Wayan Arjana, said the free service was dedicated to teachers who had problems with their eyesight.

"Treating eyes is costly, so we are trying to help teachers receive decent and free treatment.

"Teachers aged above 40 years old mostly need glasses for short-sightedness.

"Hopefully, those teachers will feel cared for by the community through this eye treatment event."

Besides teachers, some students and residents came to have a free eye examination, which was conducted by three ophthalmologists and two refractionists from the YKI.

The YKI's ophthalmic surgeon, Wayan Gde Dharyata, said the main target of the two-day program was elementary school teachers.

"It is fine if students want to have their eyes checked. They mostly only suffer from minor problems."

Dharyata further said the YKI had been asked to perform cataract surgery on two teachers. The procedure will be carried out in the mobile eye clinic.

"We haven't yet set the date. It will be conducted as soon as possible."

Dharyata said the opthalmic surgeons would use the Small Incision Cataract Surgery (SICS) technique.

The mobile clinic regularly roams streets in Denpasar, screening and assisting residents who need treatment for their eye problems.

The free service is aimed at residents from low-income families.

"The vehicle is on the road every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday," Dharyata said.

One of the teachers who received the free treatment was I Gusti Made Oka Suarja, 50, from SDN 16 state in Kesiman Village, East Denpasar.