Middlesex Community College Students Provide Free Eye Care To Local Resident In Need
Middlesex Community College held its annual Community Eyecare Days last week, providing free ocular health services to local residents in need. The program was coordinated exclusively by students of the college's Ophthalmic Design and Dispensing program, who provided roughly 40 people from surrounding communities with eye exams and eyewear they would not have otherwise been able to afford.
Recipients of the program's many services were referred by a variety of social service organizations, including the Eddy Shelter and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Middlesex has worked with these and other organizations on the Community Eyecare project since 1997.
"Some people are not getting the eye care they need because they have no insurance and no way to pay for it," said Professor Rene "Skip" Rivard of the OD&D department. "This project provides an opportunity for our students to understand that being a health care provider is not strictly for pecuniary benefits."
Each patient's treatment began with an ocular health assessment by John B. Franklin, M.D., an ophthalmologist from Consulting Ophthalmologists, PC, in Farmington and Glastonbury; or Hal Olstrom, O.D., an optometrist from Clinton Eye Associates. Like everyone else involved, the doctors donated their time.
After the assessments were performed, students helped the patients select new eyewear and lenses donated by the optical companies McCleod, Precision, Encore and Hoya, some of whose employees are graduates of the Middlesex OD&D program.
"It's nice because we're helping people that couldn't normally get this done," said Nadja Maldonado, a second-year student in the OD&D program. "They get food, too."
Indeed, capping off the patients' experience was an extensive buffet, donated by Frascone's Italian Deli in Plainville and the Connecticut Opticians Association.
Of course, any benefits provided to patients were reciprocated, albeit in less tangible forms.
"Contact with the patients is the biggest thing. It's the hands-on experience that we need," said second-year student Joyce Furman, who co-coordinated the program with fellow student Daniel Gross. "It was really fulfilling."
That mutual fulfillment of needs is what motivates Professor Rivard to continue the program with each new group of students.
"The students recognize the need to use their education to provide a service within their community," Rivard said. "The benefits of this lesson should follow them throughout their careers."
Recipients of the program's many services were referred by a variety of social service organizations, including the Eddy Shelter and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Middlesex has worked with these and other organizations on the Community Eyecare project since 1997.
"Some people are not getting the eye care they need because they have no insurance and no way to pay for it," said Professor Rene "Skip" Rivard of the OD&D department. "This project provides an opportunity for our students to understand that being a health care provider is not strictly for pecuniary benefits."
Each patient's treatment began with an ocular health assessment by John B. Franklin, M.D., an ophthalmologist from Consulting Ophthalmologists, PC, in Farmington and Glastonbury; or Hal Olstrom, O.D., an optometrist from Clinton Eye Associates. Like everyone else involved, the doctors donated their time.
After the assessments were performed, students helped the patients select new eyewear and lenses donated by the optical companies McCleod, Precision, Encore and Hoya, some of whose employees are graduates of the Middlesex OD&D program.
"It's nice because we're helping people that couldn't normally get this done," said Nadja Maldonado, a second-year student in the OD&D program. "They get food, too."
Indeed, capping off the patients' experience was an extensive buffet, donated by Frascone's Italian Deli in Plainville and the Connecticut Opticians Association.
Of course, any benefits provided to patients were reciprocated, albeit in less tangible forms.
"Contact with the patients is the biggest thing. It's the hands-on experience that we need," said second-year student Joyce Furman, who co-coordinated the program with fellow student Daniel Gross. "It was really fulfilling."
That mutual fulfillment of needs is what motivates Professor Rivard to continue the program with each new group of students.
"The students recognize the need to use their education to provide a service within their community," Rivard said. "The benefits of this lesson should follow them throughout their careers."