Courtesy Eye Screening Mobile Van
Taking the equipment into the community has enabled over 30,000 people to be screened for various eye conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts, and visual difficulties.
Courtesy Transportation Vans
Since many individuals, within our community, in need of eye care are without means of transportation, we provide 3 courtesy vans.
Certificate for a Free, Complete Eye Exam
We provide these certificates to provide follow-up to difficulties detected through the eye screening program which warranted an evaluation by an ophthamologist.
Donations to theCommunity
Eye examination equipment is donated to the Indian River County Health Department.Since its inception Project Community Caring has provided over 30,000 screenings for various eye conditions, such as glaucoma, cataracts, and visual difficulties. Approximately 41% of those participating in the screenings were offered complete eye exams by our Board Certified ophthalmologists, free of charge, to evaluate a condition found through the screening which warranted evaluation by an ophthamologist.
Background
During that first year, over 5,500 letters were mailed out to the senior citizens of Indian River County to announce that anyone 65 years or older that needed an eye exam could have one done completely free at the Florida Eye Institute. The goal was two fold: one, to reach those that needed eye care but couldn't afford it and two, as a way to say thank you to a community that supported Florida Eye Institute in our effort to provide a superior level of eye care. Along with the individual letters, approximately 400 churches and organizations in Indian River, St. Lucie, Okeechobee, and Brevard counties were notified.Later in that same year, 1987, the screening program got underway. With the addition of the first Florida Eye Institute courtesy van (to provide transportation to the facility) and a Keeler Puff Tonomoter (to check for glaucoma), the staff of the Florida Eye Institute could travel to various locations and communities to provide free visual and glaucoma screenings. The screenings were held from Ft. Pierce to Melbourne, from Okeechobee to Vero Beach and all points in between. In addition, the free screenings were also open to the public at the Florida Eye Institute one afternoon a week. An Interzeag Opacity Lensmeter was later added to benefit the evaluation of lenses for indications of cataracts.
