Brief History of Eye Care International – El Salvador

Dr. William Brinker’s journey into medical missions began in 1967 with Amigos de Las Americas—helping in Latin American villages with his wife and teenage son in tow. A year later, he started a local chapter in Kent, Ohio. One trip turned into a lifelong calling. Soon, his entire family was involved. Service wasn’t optional—it was tradition.
From 1975, the Brinker family spent 20 years with the Christian Medical Society, bringing eye care to Ecuador, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic. In one 10-day mission to a Nicaraguan war zone, his team treated 6,569 people.
Not slowing down, Dr. Brinker co-founded Eye Care International in 1995—no office, no staff, just volunteers with vision. One of them, Dick Leppo, joined as a handyman and spent 26 years volunteering with his wife Thelma. After retiring, they converted their barn into a glasses-sorting hub, a job now carried on by volunteers in Florida and Georgia.
Eye Care International has always followed one rule: patients never pay. When they do contribute, that money stays in El Salvador, directed by local leaders. Though not a religious or political organization, Eye Care International - El Salvador - works with churches, service groups, and local governments to reach the most underserved.

Thanks to groups like Lions and Rotary Clubs and dozens of self-funded volunteers, Eye Care treats an average of 6,000 patients each trip—something that would take a local optometrist 14 years.
Thinking of volunteering or donating? Your time, your skills, your heart—they all make a difference. Join us. Change lives. Restore sight.