So instead of heading out to work in the early morning, I spent this chilly morning in a very odd community. My group got lost, but we finally found a tiny immigration center where a small health fair was set up. My job was to screen for vision acuity and early signs of vision loss from glaucoma or macular degeneration. The entire community, well at least 98% of them spoke Spanish so I was already at a loss.

However, most of the wonderful people that came were able to understand my butchered, learned on the spot Spanish. 

Anyways, my heart was pretty heavy from this trip. So many people go to work struggling with their daily tasks, and are unaware of their vision needs. about 55% of the people we screened had problems with glaucoma and were doing their day to day lives unaware of it. 

We aren’t able to diagnose on the spot, let alone write out a prescription immediately for the folks who failed the vision tests. However, we were given the ability to let them know what their options were. Since most of the group was about 40 years +, we suggested they go out to walmart, find a pair of reading glasses that’ll help keep the words in focus.

These are just screenings…not an actual eye examination. *le sigh* I wishhhhhh this foundation does what Essilor does, with an optometrist on site and everything…but that’s a completely different story.

I totally want to help the older working generation at east with what they do.