In late January, EyeCare4Kids Refugee Vision Program served dozens of refugees from the LDS Humanitarian Center.
EyeCare4Kids Utah and its eye care professionals provided the refugees with eye exams to identify any vision problems and needs and then fitted them for frames and lenses, if glasses were necessary.
The program provided 27 vision vouchers to refugees from Congo, Napal, Somalia, Eritrea, Ukraine, Rwanda, Liberia and Sudan.
For some of the refugees, this was the first time they had visited with an eye care professional. Many who came to the clinic were fitted with free frames and lenses that were purchased with funding by Intermountain Community Care Foundation.
Over the past year, hundreds of refugees have been served by the EyeCare4Kids Refugee Vision Program, which aims to alleviate a health concern and help them to more quickly acclimate to their new home and build successful lives in Utah.
“We love to watch the smiles of the old and young as they experience better vision for the first time,” said Maggie Cline, executive director of EyeCare4Kids Utah. “Whether it’s identifying challenges that can be solved over time or fitting for glasses that provide immediate joy, we appreciate the opportunity to work with Intermountain Community Care Foundation and LDS Humanitarian Relief to support these new Utahns.”