On Thursday and Friday of last week, VSP® Eyes of Hope® partnered with SEE International’s local SEE Vision Care (SVC) program and the County of Santa Barbara Health Department to bring free eye exams and prescription glasses to 137 Santa Maria and Lompoc residents without access to vision care.
In recognition of National Eye Exam Month, a 40-foot VSP Eyes of Hope mobile clinic and volunteer eye doctors stopped at the Santa Maria Health Center on Aug. 20 and the Lompoc Health Center on Aug. 21, providing comprehensive exams and on-site eyewear selection at no cost to patients.
Opening Doors to Better Vision
In California, nearly 1 in 10 adults avoided healthcare in the past year due to cost, a barrier that is even higher for people experiencing homelessness or living on low incomes. Clear, healthy vision can benefit a person’s education, employment, and overall quality of life, but for too many Central Coast residents, it has remained out of reach.
“Access to vision care, any kind of healthcare, is extremely important because it helps empower a human to reach their highest potential,” said Clark Jorgensen, community engagement manager at VSP Vision™.
“If you have a child in a classroom that can’t see, or a construction worker at a job site who can’t see, it can be very difficult. We want to empower these patients and these members of our community to live the best life possible.”
Same Day Eyewear
Volunteer optometrists Dr. Rupert Chowins and Dr. Elise Swanson conducted exams throughout both clinic days, working alongside VSP Vision and SEE Vision Care staff to fit patients for eyewear on the spot.
“It was an honor to be a part of the care team to provide free glasses and vision screenings for our communities in Santa Maria and Lompoc. It was a great success,” said SEE Vision Care optometrist Dr. Swanson.
“Most of my pediatric and adult patients were able to receive the glasses I prescribed that day thanks to our partnership with VSP. We were also able to educate and refer patients with suspected glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and cataracts to specialty care when necessary. We helped a lot of people and I feel great about using my skills to help so many community members in need.”
Meet Bonnie
Among those who received care was Bonnie, a 40-year-old Santa Maria resident experiencing homelessness. After recently breaking her only pair of glasses, Bonnie was worried she wouldn’t be able to replace them, leaving her to struggle with severely blurred vision.
But then she learned about VSP and SVC’s event through a posting at her local shelter, and received a new pair of glasses entirely free of cost.
“Today has been a breeze,” Bonnie said. “There wasn’t a big long wait. They got me right in, and I’m going to get my glasses today. It’s wonderful. I think it’s really awesome they do this for kids and adults to be able to see the world clearly.”
Meet Monica
Monica, a stay-at-home mom and former preschool teacher and teacher’s aide, also received care at the event. She had not had an eye exam in more than 10 years and said difficulty seeing while driving, particularly at night and in the rain, had become a concern.
“I drive my kids around a lot and I want to feel completely sure of what I am doing on the road,” Monica said. She explained that when she does not feel safe driving, she chooses to avoid doing so at all, which can be limiting for herself and her family.
Monica expressed her gratitude to the partnering organizations for coordinating these events, as “it gave us the opportunity to take care of ourselves when we cannot afford the insurance. Having events like this really helps out the community,” she said.
One Shared Mission
Ivette Fernandez, SEE’s supervisor of local & domestic programs, shared that witnessing these organizations come together to support people in need was especially rewarding.
“Being part of the Community Eyecare Outreach Events in Santa Maria and Lompoc was such a great experience. Seeing everyone work toward one goal of helping the community and seeing the patients’ gratitude made all the long hours worth it,” she said.
Special thank you to VSP Eyes of Hope and the County of Santa Barbara Health Department for making these events possible.
The need for accessible eyecare remains significant, and we will continue collaborating with like-minded organizations to ensure this need is met across Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
*VSP and Eyes of Hope are registered trademarks, and VSP Vision is a trademark of Vision Service Plan.
