Vision clinic offers cheaper eyeglasses to many residents

The Oak Ridger
·2 min read

Roane State Community College's Optical Clinic has resumed services for the spring semester and patients can get free eyeglass frames in most cases, as well as a promotional price for lenses and coatings.

The Vision Clinic at Roane State Community College gives students experience and free eyeglass frames for many area residents. Eye exams are not offered.
The Vision Clinic at Roane State Community College gives students experience and free eyeglass frames for many area residents. Eye exams are not offered.

The clinic on the college's Roane County campus is part of the Vision Care Technology (VCT) program, the only accredited two-year program of its kind in Tennessee, according to a news release.

Services are available to Roane State students, employees, and local residents. Patients just need a written prescription less than a year old, the release stated.

“The optical clinic is a win-win for all of us,” VCT program director Hali Gibson said in the release. “Clients are getting essential services at a dramatically reduced cost while enhancing the education of our students. This hands-on experience sets students up for success in the workforce.”

Roane State Community College's Vision Clinic on the Roane County campus is open for the spring semester.
Roane State Community College's Vision Clinic on the Roane County campus is open for the spring semester.

Anyone wishing to make an appointment in the optical clinic can do so by calling (865) 882-4635. The clinic is open for fittings from 9 a.m. until 11:45 a.m. on Mondays and from 12:45 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Thursdays until April 6.

The optical clinic is in Room 209-A of the Yager Building on the Roane County campus. After an initial appointment, patients can expect to return in two to three weeks to pick up their glasses. Students in the Vision Care Technology program are then graded on their work.

Note that costs may vary depending on a patient’s prescription, lens design, and other options. Fashion frames, computer glasses, children’s glasses, prescription sunglasses, safety glasses, and all types of specialty glasses are available through the clinic.

The Roane State Optical Clinic operates during the spring and fall semesters only. Eye exams and contact lenses are not provided by the clinic.

For more information about the clinic or RSCC’s Vision Care Technology program, visit roanestate.edu/visioncare.

This article originally appeared on Oakridger: Vision clinic offers cheaper eyeglasses to many residents