See To Succeed
Service learning projects are a significant community outreach for Eye Care Technology as for my personal growth.
The Kids for Life See to Succeed project is a colossal collaboration between the City of Houston, Harris County Health Department, University of Houston, School of Optometry, Alcon, Wal-Mart, Essilor of America and San Jacinto College. Three weeks a year San Jacinto Eye Care student preform pre-screening tests for a total of 10,000 1st – 12th Grade children from Houston, Pasadena and surrounding independent school districts. The school nurse identifies the student in need for an eye exam. The nurse sends paperwork home to the parents explaining the See to Succeed service with consent forms. Upon the receipt of consent forms, the child is scheduled with the school to attend the next event. The school busses the children to the location either Good Neighbor Clinic or San Jacinto College.
Upon arrival children are given all the preliminary tests by the San Jacinto eye care students, before seeing an Optometrist who prescribes the child glasses or if needed a medical referral. The child is then sent to the set-up optical where certified opticians and eye care students guide the child in a selection of frame and fitting of the glasses. The glasses are ordered and dispensed at the school within 2-3 weeks. This service is at no cost to the family: free eye exam and glasses.
See to Succeed is a very rewarding service to see these children seeing more of the world, to come out of the shell of blurred vision, to be able to play, and be successful in school.
The community wellness fairs are the next service the eye care department is proud to sponsor, being a contributing factor of providing good eye health education and screenings. The learning service helps the San Jacinto students understand the need for public education in preventing blindness.
http://www.sanjac.edu/article/eye-care-students-and-professionals-partner-help-children-see-succeed