April 12, 2012 - Eye Screenings as a Crucial Component of Preventive Care

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of blind and visually impaired people in the U.S. is predicted to double by 2030—with a disproportionate share of that disease burden resting on people who are uninsured and who lack access to preventive vision care and screenings.

In New Hampshire and Vermont’s Upper Valley region, Schweitzer Fellows Sandolsam “Stone” Cha and Edmund Tsui are working to stem that tide. The two Dartmouth Medical School students are promoting visual health among uninsured adults by implementing a vision screening and referral program at the Good Neighbor Health Clinic (GNHC).

“We hope to identify individuals who are at risk of developing potentially blinding diseases, as well as those who have already developed early signs of eye diseases,” Tsui says.

CLICK HERE to read a Five Questions for a Fellow interview with Cha and Tsui on ASF's official blog.

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