By Shayla Vance The Missouri State Vision Screening Program returned to Port-de-Paix, Haiti this year for the second annual spring break trip. Originally inspired by the Provost Office’s idea to address vision problems on a global level, the program traveled overseas with students trained to use specialized vision care equipment. During the trip to Haiti, Missouri State University students performed vision screenings for schoolchildren and staff while also immersing themselves in the culture. The experiences that they had were eye-opening. Most of the Haitian students that were screened had never had the opportunity to have their eyes examined before. “There is no trained eye professional in Port-de-Paix, and there is no source for accurate prescription eyewear in Port-de-Paix,” said Lora Hobbs. Hobbs is Missouri State University’s senior instructor in Religious Studies who led the trip to Haiti. “Most families cannot afford the day-long bus ride to Port-au-Prince, the eye exam, the glasses and having to stay in Port-au-Prince for several days waiting for the glasses to … [Read more...] about Vision Screening Returns to Haiti
Missouri State service-learning students conducted 250 vision screenings for Springfield’s homeless population as part of this year’s HOPE Connection event. A total of 182 were referred for follow up care to the Jordan Valley Community Health Center, MSU Care Clinic or Vision Rehabilitation Center of the Ozarks, where they were scheduled for a further examination by an optometrist or fitted for corrective lenses. HOPE Connection is an annual day-long service event coordinated by Community Partnership of the Ozarks, hosting a consortium of agencies and volunteers from the region that provide essential services to the impoverished, including “enhanced direct services” for veterans as part of Veterans Stand Down. This is CASL’s third year at the event, but the first in which service-learning students were able to screen clients before visiting the health clinic. This provided subsequent vision professionals more precise information about a client’s vision health than in years prior. Service-learning students used Welch/Allyn’s SPOT Screener, digital imaging cameras that quickly … [Read more...] about Service-learning takes vision screenings to the homeless at Hope Connection
Earlier this year, CASL partnered with the Vision Rehabilitation Center of the Ozarks (VRCO) to produce a promotional documentary premiered during the organization's annual "Dining in the Dark" fundraising event. The VRCO supports southwest Missouri's vision health with low or no-cost optometry services. Citizenship & Service-Learning often refers patients to the VRCO that are found to have potential vision problems through our signature Vision Screening Program. The "Dining in the Dark" fundraiser, in which guests are blindfolded during dinner to simulate the difficulties of blindness and low vision, raises funds for advancing VRCO services and technology. CASL supported the VRCO's efforts through the production of a promotional documentary that was played during the dinner. CASL Director, Dr. Kathy Nordyke and VRCO director, Wendy Jackson executive produced. Charles Whitaker and Tatym Brown produced all video content on a $0 budget. Watch the full video below and be sure to visit VRCO's website for information about how you can help support their efforts. … [Read more...] about CASL and VRCO partner in fundraising video