UAB To Provide Free Vision Care Services Through Gift Of Sight Event

UAB's School of Optometry is conducting its 10th annual Gift of Sight event to provide comprehensive eye exams to low-income or underinsured patients in their community.

The University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB) and its School of Optometry are giving back to its community with free medical services. During its 10th annual Gift of Sight event, the clinical program will provide free vision care through Dec. 1.

The Gift of Sight grants free comprehensive eye exams and glasses for patients who are from low-income backgrounds or lack insurance. Their partnership with VSP Insurance, Remote Area Medical, and Changing Lives Through Lenses has helped over 1,800 individuals receive the eye care they need over the last decade.

“Although UAB Community Eye Care provides services year-round to people of all ages throughout the state, this event provides an opportunity for all of our faculty, interns, and staff to come together to serve the amazing people in our community,” expressed Dr. Janene Sims, an associate professor at the school. “We are so honored to be able to give back to the Birmingham community for another holiday season.”

Sims is also a supervisor for the institution’s Family Practice Residency program and has emphasized the importance of routine eye exams and how they can detect other issues with one’s health.

“During a dilated eye exam, we can view the blood vessels in the back of the eye. Eye doctors can see what other doctors treat. If there is leakage, bleeding, or changes in the blood vessels in the back of the eye, the same changes are going on in the rest of the body. That is why staying on top of your eye health is important for systemic health.”

As UAB’s Community Eye Care is celebrating 50 years of dedication to ensure patients’ well-being through eye health, this event amplifies their mission to better the quality of living for all, with donations of toiletries also being accepted to provide additional support to those in need. The eye exams are available to those who apply through the school’s website and are being conducted at the Western Health Center Eye Clinic.