Veterans Week at SBVC
SEE’s Santa Barbara Vision Care program held its annual Veterans Week event, providing local veterans with free comprehensive eye exams and glasses. The November 2022 program was sponsored by Cox Communications.
Meet Emma
One of the veterans who received care was Emma, a long-time SEE patient who served in the Marine Corps for 10 years. Emma experiences headaches due to eye pain, so she visited our clinic during Veterans Week for an eye exam. She has been coming to this event for years, and commented on how she has always had great experiences with our local optometrists.
Patrick’s New Glasses
Another veteran served during Veterans Week was 65-year-old Navy veteran Patrick. Patrick works as a caregiver, and often struggles with his work as well as with seeing on the computer due to his nearsightedness. His glasses recently broke so he has been using a pair from a thrift store, prompting him to visit our clinic for a new prescription. Patrick has also been a long time SEE patient who values our services: “Even from the past, SEE has always done a thorough job and provides excellent service, that is why I come back,” he said.
Robert is Invincible Again
Robert, a 60-year-old Army veteran, also received care during Veterans Week. Robert was experiencing excessive tiredness as a result of straining his eyes while trying to see properly. He was feeling very troubled before his visit because sight is very important to him: “[Sight] is one of the necessities in life to me,” he said. “Before I started having trouble with my sight, I thought I was invincible.” Fortunately, he heard about SEE’s Veterans Week event and visited the clinic for a free exam and pair of glasses, expressing how thankful he was for the services: “[My experience was] beyond what I expected and amazing. I felt like everything was going to be alright,” said Robert.
Thanks to Cox Communications
SEE extends a special thank you to our lead sponsor, Cox Communications, for their generous support of Veterans Week. Together, we provided eyecare to individuals like Emma, Patrick, and Robert so they can continue their daily activities with the confidence they need!
How You Can Learn More and Help
Visit our Santa Barbara Vision Care page to learn about the communities we serve. You can also support our local efforts on that page or by donating to SEE now.
