Media contact: Alicia Rohan, arohan@uab.edu
“This event further demonstrates UAB’s commitment to community development and providing the highest quality of patient care to as many people as possible.” The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry and the Jefferson County Department of Health are partnering for the fourth consecutive year to bring comprehensive eye exams and free glasses to low-income and underinsured Birmingham residents. Community Eye Care, the community outreach arm of the UAB School of Optometry, is hosting the event from Nov. 29-Dec. 2.
The Gift of Sight program has become a Birmingham tradition unlike any other. With the help of generous sponsors including VSP, Remote Area Medical, Alabama Lions Sight and Allergan, free eyeglasses and eye exams are provided to patients who need them.
Janene Sims, O.D., Ph.D., associate professor at the School of Optometry, says the Gift of Sight program is a community-focused event that also raises awareness about the importance of eye care. “Gift of Sight offers us the chance to provide quality eye care to those who otherwise would not receive it,” Sims said. “This event further demonstrates UAB’s commitment to community development and providing the highest quality of patient care to as many people as possible.”
Applications for the Gift of Sight program are available through UAB School of Optometry and the Jefferson County Department of Health. UAB’s upcoming Dentistry Cares Community Day will provide another platform for underinsured patients to apply for the Gift of Sight program. To inquire about making a donation to the Gift of Sight, call UAB Eye Care at 205-934-3088.
UAB Community Eye Care provides eye exams to underinsured and low-income residents of Birmingham through the Western Health Center in Midfield, United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Birmingham Adult Day Program at LincPoint in Homewood, the Foundry in Bessemer, and the Lovelady Center in East Lake. They also provide eye care to underserved residents in the Black Belt communities across the state and in the Birmingham metropolitan area.