OUR GRANT SUPPORTED UCLA Jules Stein Eye Institute’s Mobile Eye Clinic which alleviates health disparities by providing free, quality eye care services and eyeglasses for Head Start preschool sites in Los Angeles County. Head Start schools have a large concentration of students from low-income families who meet federal criteria for having elevated levels of unmet  needs. They are frequently unable to attain health care services due to lack of providers, education, insurance, transportation or time. 

 

GRANT IMPACT Since partnering in October of 2022, The Jules Stein Eye Institute has provided 1,505 vision screenings, 194 eye exams and 202 pairs of glasses to preschoolers in Los Angeles as of February 2023. Additionally UMEC participated in the Fox Family Foundation’s Vision Fair where they screened 65 individuals. UMEC impact measurements are as follows:

 

1. The specific aim of the screening program is to prevent further development of avoidable, treatable vision issues in medically underserved and underrated preschool children.

2. The additional goal is alleviate stress on parents, school staff and students. UMEC provides eyeglasses and follow up care regardless of insurance.

3. UMEC tracks data on the outcomes of the program for analysis. The goal is to increase the available published screening articles to drive the use of evidence-based vision screening practices. It will continue to track health based research with the data to evaluate the effectiveness of the program and to contribute to future eye health interventions

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HOW IT BREAKS THE LINK BETWEEN POVERTY & VISION LOSS UMEC makes vision care and early detection more readily available. The following impacts are being achieved:

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1. UMEC’s eye health services eliminates most common barriers in underserved communities - access and expense. Addressing potential vision problems through early intervention and prevention is ideal for the total health and well being of a child.

2. UMEC hopes to spark and develop an integrated intervention system which will connect students to a variety of services to address all of their medical, behavioral and socioeconomic needs.