Expedition report · March 2026

46th Expedition Amazonian Gaze 1

Name: 46th Expedition: Amazonian Gaze 1
Start: 2026-03-21
End: 2026-03-29
Location: Belterra

21 to March 29, 2026 · 9 daysBelterra

The first edition of Olhar Amazônico: eye health for riverside and indigenous communities in the Amazon.

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appointmentsin 9 days of expedition: 1,504
volunteers: 9
hours donated: 408
in donated services: R$ 55k

Value of the services donated on this expedition: hours actually worked × the market rate for the specialty, reported by the volunteer or, failing that, the market average — the methodology of note 11 to the audited financial statements. Amounts in Brazilian reais.

About the expedition

Olhar Amazônico Series · First Edition

46th Expedition: Amazon Gaze 1 The expedition took place in Belterra from March 21 to 29, 2026. The team consisted of three ophthalmologists, one photographer, one administrator, one medical student, one nurse, one entrepreneur, and one optical technician. The total cost was $54,560.00. During the expedition, 186 ophthalmology consultations were performed, 99 pairs of glasses were donated, 1,161 eye exams were conducted, and 58 pterygium surgeries were carried out.

Being able to see clearly means being able to study, work, and live with autonomy, even hours away from the nearest hospital.

Appointments

What was done, by category

1,504in total

Exams
Clinical consultations
Donations
Surgeries

Exams

77%

1,161

Eye exams1,161

Clinical consultations

12%

186

Ophthalmology186

Donations

6.6%

Eyeglasses donated99

Surgeries

3.9%

Eye surgeries (pterygium)58

Highlights

What marked this expedition

Pterygium surgeries

A total of 58 surgeries were performed, all for pterygium—a growth of tissue over the cornea—common among people who spend their lives exposed to sun, wind, and dust, such as riverside populations. Without treatment, the tissue advances over the eye, causing constant irritation and potentially impairing vision; surgery removes this growth and restores comfort and clarity to the patient.

Custom-made glasses for each patient

Ótica Miguel Giannini not only donated the glasses but also brought a dedicated team to Belterra to present the models and find the ideal frame for each patient, with special and multifocal lenses. Each person left with the correct glasses for their vision.

The joy of seeing

For a child, a pair of glasses makes the difference between keeping up with or falling behind in school. With every frame adjusted, the same gesture repeated: the gaze scanning the classroom and the world, finally clear.