On the Sunny Island in Lake Titicaca

Once the center of the cultural life of the legendary Inca Empire, around 2,000 people still live on the Sunny Island in Lake Titicaca. The lake itself is almost 4,000 meters high and about 15 times the size of Lake Constance.

At the end of the world

Around one in five residents has never left their island, we are told. Glasses are usually as inaccessible as they are priceless for the inhabitants of the Sunny Island. The rush is correspondingly large.

Spectators

We may be the first opticians to bring glasses to the island. Nobody wants to miss such an attraction.

First morning sun

At almost 4,000 meters, the air is very thin and dry. The air has around 60 percent less oxygen – it is easy to get out of breath when climbing stairs.

Flag appeal

In the morning in front of the school the flag is hoisted and the national anthem is sung. Children with ametropia usually sit in the front row in the classroom. If they can’t see enough, there is usually no help. Many children leave school in Bolivia without a degree.