GOT YOU IN MY SIGHT:

Annual clinic helpful to students and patients

by Jerry Weller

UM-St. Louis optometry students, in conjunction with the Bi-State Development Agency, offered free vision screenings to the public Aug. 23.

The screenings were held at the UM-St. Louis Center for Eye Care and the East St. Louis Eye Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Bi-State Development Agency assisted by providing free publicity.

Students checked the patients for visual clarity and acuity, color vision, eye coordination and eye health. People who needed follow-up examinations were offered a 20 percent discount on exams, glasses, frames and contact lenses.

Both patients and students described the free screenings as a beneficial experience.

Terri McDevitt brought her young daughter Megan to the free screening as a result of the experience she had with her son. McDevitt's son was having trouble at school.

"We found our son needed glasses when we brought him to the clinic a couple of years ago. He was having headaches. He couldn't see up close, and his eyes were hurting him," McDevitt said.

Second year optometry students, Cheryl Davidson and Jenna Dulas got the experience of coordinating the program.

"The biggest thing is the patient interaction, learning the people skills," Dulas said.First year optometry student Melissa Hau came all the way from Los Angeles to join the UM-St.Louis optometry program.

"I graduated from UCLA, and it's really big. I came here because there are only 44 students per class, and you get to know your classmates and the professors."