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Vision |
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One of the core services that Remote
Area Medical®
tries to provide at every expedition is full-service
vision care. This includes basic screening, refracting,
and eye exam. If the patient is found to need eye glasses,
a pair is provided to them if possible. |
The primary purpose of the vision
care team of Remote Area Medical's Rural AMerica program
is to provide people with eyeglasses to improve their
present circumstances and better see the world around
them. For some, a pair of glasses may allow them to
drive more safely, get a job or better execute their
present job. For others, reading glasses will allow
them to read more comfortably or thread a needle for
the first time in years.
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Volunteer ophthalmologists or optometrists
perform thorough exams in an effort to determine if
there are eye conditions or diseases that need further
attention. Due to the nature of our expeditions, we
can not and should not be considered a patient's primary
source of eye care for conditions that require continuing
attention, such as monitoring pressure in glaucoma
patients. If the doctor finds a serious or threatening
condition, the person is made aware of it and is referred
for follow-up care with a local doctor.
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As part of a thorough eye exam,
we measure the intraocular pressure in patients' eyes,
which screens them for glaucoma.
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Frames are donated from a number
of sources. The quality of frames that we are able
to offer often surprises our patients.
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| The RAM mobile optical lab
is capable of supplying most prescriptions of eyeglasses.
Services are provided on-site with volunteers operating
the equipment and assembling the glasses. When operating
at capacity, the lab has turned out over 300 pair of glasses
in one day. |
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On expeditions outside of
the US, pre-made glasses are provided to patients, courtesy
of the Lion's Club. This alleviates the need to make glasses
on-site, and often deeply impacts the quality of life
for villages who have lived with poor vision for much
of their lives. |
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