On April 9, 2016, OneSight Singapore together with Spectacle Hut participated in a Mobile Eye Clinic (MEC) held at SliverACE Senior Activity Centre, located at Lengkok Bahru, Singapore. Singapore Society of Ophthalmology and the Standard Chartered Bank funded the initiative.
The Mobile Eye Clinic location enabled 200 elderly residents to received vision exams that otherwise could not access health care centers due to physical constraints or logistics barriers. In its first operational vision care clinic in Singapore, OneSight provided approximately 150 pairs of frames and reading glasses to these patients.
Vision issues are widespread among the elderly. OneSight volunteer Traci Mi notes that “Failing eyesight is one of the most troubling conditions in the elderly which limits their mobility and erodes their ability to enjoy simple everyday activities. OneSight is honored to be part of this meaningful project to help them to restore vision.”
Since 2004, MEC has successfully launched eight clinics and benefitting 1,800 patients. Doctors and nurses from Singapore National Eye Centre have volunteered by doing eye-health tests, vision exams, and eye-pressure tests. Patients diagnosed with medical eye conditions like cataracts, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration were referred to local hospitals where they can seek treatment at no cost for their first visit.
In order to provide a wider service in the clinic, OneSight Singapore and Spectacle Hut have come together to provide senior citizens free opticals after their eye check. OneSight also took three volunteers to assist the elderly patients.
OneSight Singapore Ambassador Irene Koh said, “We want to contribute in a way that will truly benefit the local community and we hope that our humble sponsorship will be able to provide a better vision to the senior citizens.”