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Vision

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.


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.

As part of a thorough eye exam, we measure the intraocular pressure in patients' eyes, which screens them for glaucoma.


Frames are donated from a number of sources. The quality of frames that we are able to offer often surprises our patients.

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.
  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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