Growing number of children in underserved communities need eyeglasses

Berndt Petersen
·1 min read

More and more metro Atlanta school children, many in underserved communities, have vision problems.

Dr. Sarah Shin is seeing it with her own eyes.

“Out of ten, maybe like four or five. That’s a lot. Yes. That’s a lot,” Dr. Shin told Channel 2′s Berndt Petersen.

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“We are seeing a huge uptick in the number of children who need to have those glasses,” Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation Executive Director Beth Ehrhardt said.

The nonprofit organization is working with Atlanta Public Schools to screen as many students as possible.

Administrators say because of the pandemic, too many children missed eye exams.

Many have never had one.

So the Lions are providing them free of charge.

At their facility in Chamblee, they fabricate prescription eyeglasses, also free of charge for patients.

They provided 5,000 pairs over the last year.

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In another wing of the building, volunteers are repurposing glasses that were donated.

The Lions process 100,000 pairs per year.

The kids either come to the clinic along Peachtree Road or the Lions take the clinic to them where they go to school.

Dr. Shin volunteers her time and her skills.

“You think that by getting glasses, then you’re fine for years. But your vision affects everything,” Dr. Shin said.

For patients wanting to know more about vision services, please click HERE.

For doctors and other volunteer opportunities, click HERE.

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