READING, Pa.- It’s day one of Centro Hispano in Reading being transformed into an eye care utopia as part of a collaborative effort to provide access to vision care for people who need it.
“Well, it’s very good because that way you can find out if you need anything else or if something else is going on,” says Erica Vasquez, who lives in Reading.
“We’re serving about 250 community members from children all the way up to seniors, and it’s people in need that wouldn’t otherwise have access to vision care and frames,” says Esther Normoyle, the Community Engagement Manager for VSP for Eyes of Hope.
Those who came to the clinic were able to receive eye exams, and depending on the prescription, they could even have the glasses made on site.
“When families are balancing the cost of groceries, fuel costs, housing costs, you know, the cost for an eye exam and glasses gets pushed aside,” says Mike Toledo of Centro Hispano.
The event is being held in connection with state House Bill 1077 that aims to create a commission on children’s vision to ensure students have access to glasses and follow-up vision care.
“Finding a vision problem is only the beginning, but we must help families get the care their children need,” says PA State Rep. Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz.
A number of doctors were on site seeing patients, including optometrist Dr. Richard Christoph.
“We need to do better, and this is part of our effort to do better to get out and get care to the people who need it and don’t have the resources, and then obviously providing care to kids in our offices every day,” says Christoph.
The clinic will also be held Friday, October 9th, but all spots are filled.