On Saturday, October 13th, 2012, Friends in Sight held a vision screening event in conjunction with the Rancho Cucamonga Host Lions Club. ACC students and faculty who volunteered arrived at 7:10am, and began to set up for the day. The vision screenings began at 8:00am and the last patient of the day left with their recycled eyeglasses at 4:00pm. Volunteers worked vigorously, seeing as many people as possible to give them the “gift of sight.” With their equipment and eyeglass racks repacked, they then left, feeling the rewards of helping the less fortunate to receive a vision screening.
“It was a great day helping people and working together as a team,” said Patrisha Elbeck, ACC Optical Dispensing Instructor. American Career College students had a chance to use their hands-on training and the knowledge they gained in the classroom to conduct the vision screenings. Dave Geyer, President of the CDH Lions club, sincerely thanked the American Career College students, who were able to volunteer for the event. “On behalf of the CDH LIONS, I want to personally thank the many American Career College volunteers who gave up their Saturday to help our club provide much needed vision aid and glucose screening to many of our less fortunate. You should be proud.”
406 patients were seen over the course of the day. Of the 406, 32 needed no prescriptions, 18 needed prescriptions to be made at the optical lab, and 356 received recycled eyeglasses. In addition, volunteers found several other conditions that will require further treatment, such as pars planitis and diabetic maculopathy. Some will need procedures such as cataract surgery and laser treatment for proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Others will need further follow up and assessments for eye diseases such as glaucoma and background diabetic retinopathy. Finally, some will require further workups for unexplained vision loss/optic atrophy.
We would like to thank the following students and faculty for participating in this event:
Patrisha Elbeck, Alberto Castillo, Aldo Munoz, Christina Mejia, Ana Ruiz, Edward Alaniz, Courtney Goudy, Tony Alaniz, Jeanne McInnish, and Crystal Perez.
If you are interested in volunteering for the next volunteer event, or have any questions about volunteering, please contact Patrisha Elbeck by phone at 925-518-8606 or by e-mail at Pelbeck@americancareer.com.
Listed below are other upcoming Vision Clinics:
Oct. 19, 2012 (Friday) at 8:00 AM
VALLEY-WIDE
RECREATION CENTER
901 W. ESPLANADE
SAN JACINTO
CALIFORNIA 92583
Oct. 28, 2012 (Sunday) at 8:00 AM
SAI BABBA HEALTH FAIRE (4A-3)
OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE CHURCH
500 N. JUANITA AVE.
OXNARD, CA 93030
Nov. 10, 2012 (Saturday) at 8:00 AM
VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL
1801 S. GREENVILLE
SANTA ANA, CA 92704