The Santo Domingo Center was the first MMI 500 center opened in Costa Rica. The Eye Clinic is located in a Lions Club facility and the clinic also supports the Lions Club Eye Bank. The second clinic in Costa Rica is the Laser Center, which serves as a private model of support for future MMI centers.
Dr. Johann Fernández, a graduate of our Ophthalmology Residency Program in the Domincan Republic, serves as Director for these clinics. He is joined by Dr. Carlos Cabezas, also a graduate from the same program.
Project Site
The Laser Center is located in Hospital Clínica Bíblica Torre Médica Omega. 8 piso San José Teléfono: (506) 258-30-31 Fax: (506) 248-14-21
Fundación Científica Santo Domingo, diagonal a la entrada de emergencias del Hospital Clínica Bíblica. San José. Teléfono: (506) 223-64-35 Fax: (506) 223-65-17
More About Costa Rica
When confronted by Spanish soldiers and missionaries, native Costa Ricans resisted violently. Those who did not succumb to the epidemics that swept over the isthmus either died fighting or fled to remote areas. Since the late 19th century the country has been generally peaceful. It is still a largely agricultural country, although industries such as tourism are rapidly expanding. Costa Rica is a democratic republic governed under a constitution established in 1949. The capital city is San Jose.
The climate ranges from tropical on the coastal plains to temperate in the interior highlands. Average annual temperatures range from 31.7°C (89°F) on the coast to 16.7°C (62°F) inland. A rainy season lasts from May to December. Annual precipitation in the country averages about 3,000 to 3,500 millimeters (120 to 140 inches).
People & Economy
Currency: Costa Rican colon (C)
Industries: microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products.
Agriculture: coffee, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes; beef; timber.
Population: approximately 4.1 million.
Ethnic groups: white 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%, other 1%. A majority of the people of Costa Rica are of European descent (mostly Spanish). About 50 percent of the population is defined as rural.
Literacy: Costa Rica has one of the highest rates of literacy in Latin America at about 95%. Primary and secondary education is free, and attendance is required between the ages of 6 and 18.
Religion: Catholics 85%, Protestants 14 % and other 1%.
Language: Spanish (official), English spoken around Puerto Limon.
