Seeing Is Believing
Seeing Is Believing
Stephanie Visjager, RN, remembers one experience particularly well. She led a little girl, a kindergartner, into a room for her exam and assisted the doctor during the procedure. When the ophthalmologist placed a pair of trial frames on the little girl, she turned to the nurse and declared, "I can SEE you!" It's a memory this nurse won't forget. |
| In six years 3,247 low-income, school-age children have been evaluated during the annual vision event at Cincinnati Children's. On average, 75 percent of the children examined required glasses. |
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For uninsured children, there's nothing routine about an eye exam.
In this country, one in four school-age children has a vision problem, yet a staggering 85 percent do not receive an annual eye exam. "Many children are simply nearsighted with blurred vision," notes Constance West, MD, director of the Division of Pediatric Ophthalmology at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. "But without glasses, they can't see the board, their teacher or anything at a distance. And then other children have more serious conditions that can result in blindness if left untreated."
In an attempt to meet the demand for optical care among lowincome, school-age children, the Abrahamson Pediatric Eye Institute at Cincinnati Children's partners with local agencies to host an annual two-day vision event, Cycle of Sight, for students in the Cincinnati Public Schools. In six years 3,247 low-income students have been screened, and more than 2,400 have been fitted with a new pair of glasses. 10 An eye exam during the Cycle of Sight event.
All Hands on Deck
To accommodate more than 600 students over two days, the optical clinic closes to regular appointments. "To facilitate seeing so many children during this two-day blitz, we transform our department, nearby hallways and other rooms into a four-stage, large-scale optical clinic," Dr. West states. It's "all hands on deck," according to William Thorner, business director of the Division of Pediatric Ophthalmology, as children arrive by the busload from area schools. More than 75 staff members and volunteers work together to manage the event and provide comprehensive evaluations.
For many at Cincinnati Children's, the vision event brings into focus the difficulties faced by uninsured children. "For many of the kids we see, things are already hard. Anything we can do, especially something so easily corrected, can have a tremendous impact on their lives," adds Aleisha Siebert, administrative assistant of the Division of Pediatric Ophthalmology.
Visible Results
The crowded hallways during Cycle of Sight speak volumes about the demand for free optical care in Greater Cincinnati. According to Dr. West, the event also is a great team-building experience for her division. "Nothing beats watching children smile when they realize they can see."
