Florida clinic offers eye care to children in need

March 10, 2011

A brand new, 4,700-square-foot facility in Wilton Manors, Florida, opened its doors on March 1, but has been serving children in need since mid-February. The building, which is part of an organization known as Kids in Distress, is home to a dental clinic and the Nova Southeastern University Eye Institute, according to The Miami Herald.

Students and faculty from Nova run the facility, and will provide services to an approximate 7,000 children who are part of the Kids in Distress network, as well as their families. Many of these youngsters have not had access to eye and dental care in the past.

"This facility will remove many of the blockades that prevent them from getting the regular care they deserve," Steve Palmer, chairman of the board of directors at Kids in Distress, told the news source.

The eye care clinic boasts eight state-of-the-art optometry exam rooms as well as an optical laboratory and an optical dispensary, which allows youngsters to choose from a variety of eyeglasses to suit their style.

According to the American Optometric Association, children of school age should receive regular eye screenings and exams, as sight is crucial to learning.