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As the charity celebrates its eleventh year, Salus University’s “Looking Out for Kids” (LOFK) vision care initiative has continued to provide necessary vision care services to underprivileged and underinsured children in Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs. In the 2016-17 school year alone, nearly 3,000 children received eye care services, including vision screenings and comprehensive eye examinations, and more than 800 pairs of glasses were dispensed.
The care is provided through The Eye Institute (TEI), the University’s optometric clinical facility, and made possible through the annual LOFK charity fundraiser. Funds from the evening go directly toward the costs of these services, which includes vision screenings, comprehensive exams, two pairs of eyeglasses for each child, and transportation costs for multiple school districts.
For decades, TEI’s doctors and optometric interns have traveled to schools throughout the School District of Philadelphia to provide vision screenings for the duration of the school year. Working closely with individual school nurses, screening teams identify students who require further comprehensive eye care services. This school year, TEI’s eye care team assisted nurses in screening more than 2,700 students; approximately 30 percent of the students failed the state-mandated screenings.
The children who failed the screening were then transported to TEI’s main facility in the Oak Lane section of the city, or its Chestnut Hill or East Falls satellite offices, for a comprehensive eye exam. After the exam, students requiring glasses are provided with two pairs – one for home and one for school. More than 420 pairs of glasses were dispensed to Philadelphia school children this past academic year.
“Many of the students came to the nurse’s office and expressed their thanks for being able to see clearly,” said Jennifer Webster, school nurse at A.M.Y. James Martin Middle School. “There is a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment that the students at A.M.Y. had the opportunity to take advantage of such a needed service from The Eye Institute. The students who most needed eye examinations were able to have this done in a non-threatening environment by a professional team that not only cared about vision care but also cared about service to the community.”
For the fifth consecutive year, TEI partnered with the Norristown Area School District (NASD) for a vision care program, courtesy of LOFK Norristown. A rotating school-based vision clinic model is used for the NASD program where the portable examination equipment is transported directly to an area within the schools. Students are provided comprehensive vision exams and two pairs of glasses are dispensed to them if they require a prescription. More than 180 students from 11 out of the 12 schools within the district were examined with 296 pairs of glasses being distributed.
This is the fourth full consecutive year TEI has provided exams for NASD students from grades K through 12 – the pilot program originally started in the 2012-2013 academic year at Gotwals Elementary School. Gotwals principal Jeanette Fernandez is thrilled about the continued development of this important partnership.
“I’m just so thankful for the services The Eye Institute gives to the children of Gotwals Elementary, but also to the children of Norristown,” she said. “I just love you guys. It’s so nice to know there are people out there who want to share their knowledge and their services with the community.”
For the second year, TEI has collaborated with the Abington and Cheltenham School Districts for vision care services. For these districts, the Salus University Mobile Vision Care Unit – or the “Big Red Bus” as its nicknamed – is utilized, which includes all of the equipment necessary for complete comprehensive eye exams. Students are examined on the mobile van and receive a prescription and two pairs of eyeglasses if needed. This year, more than 90 eye exams were performed and 108 pairs of glasses were dispensed to children in these two districts.
“The ‘Looking Out for Kids’ vision care program was a great experience for the students who were seen this year,” said Alex Knab, nursing coordinator for the Cheltenham School District. “I am looking forward to continuing our relationship with Salus University and their Mobile Vision Van in the future.”
For the first time this year, Salus brought care to the Chester, Pa., community. The University has partnered with VSP, who generously donated portable ophthalmic equipment and a mobile van to help ensure that Salus can continue to provide vision care services to underserved children and families. At a 33 percent poverty level, Chester is one of the most financially stressed communities in the state. Furthermore, in a city of more than 34,000 residents, the city has just a single eye doctor’s office. Salus and TEI have committed to providing multiple vision care events in the city of Chester and their public schools over the next several years, with eyewear to be supplied by VSP.
Salus and VSP hosted two vision care events – one from March 24-25 at Chester City Hall and one on May 8 at Stetser Elementary School, which provided comprehensive eye exams to more than 100 Chester children and adults.
The University’s”Looking Out for Kids” vision care initiative depends on donations – both from individuals and corporations. This year’s annual fundraiser will be held on Saturday, November 11, 2017, at the Philadelphia Cricket Club. Donations can also be made any time of the year online.
