Mission Vision Helps Attendees See Clearly

“That burgundy color really frames your face well. It looks really elegant,” said Robert Mitchum, optical sales manager with Kaiser Permanente in Santa Clara, as he stepped back and studied the face of his client. He and roughly two dozen other Kaiser Permanente volunteers recently spent their Saturday morning on July 13, helping low-income and uninsured people at this year’s Mission Vision event at Kaiser Permanente's Martinez medical offices.

Funded by Kaiser Permanente’s Diablo Area Community Benefit, this was the fifth year for the event, which brings together Kaiser Permanente volunteers from around the region to offer free vision services to a group that is often unable to secure eye exams and glasses.

A total of 102 people received free eye exams and when needed, glasses, at the event. Participants were referred from four local agencies that operate programs for homeless and very low-income adults and children.

Daniel was one such recipient. The 58-year-old had never had an eye exam and realized his vision was not what it used to be. “When you get older, you lose that vision. I can’t really read anymore and I love to make art and that is really hard when you lose that ability to see details.”

For Zoila, lack of vision insurance brought her to the event. “It was hard to see out of both eyes. I have probably needed these for a long time but without insurance it wasn’t going to happen. I used to just buy glasses at the drugstore and hope they would work. But they didn’t. That is why I am excited about this event.”

“The need is definitely there,” said Marianne Balin, community benefit manager for Kaiser Permanente’s Diablo Area. “Every year we do this event we see more people in need of eye care services. Vision is so important and something as simple as glasses can make a tremendous difference in the lives of attendees.”

Volunteers came from the optometry and ophthalmology departments, including optometrists, medical assistants, nurses, vision service assistants and those who just wanted to lend a hand.

“I just love helping people,” said Veronica Quiris, an optical technician from Kaiser Permanente in Richmond who has volunteered at the event for at least three years and helped Daniel select black metal frames for his new bifocals. “I like to give back as much as possible and let participants know that we are here and will care for them.”

To learn more about Mission Vision or Kaiser Permanente’s commitment to the community, please contact, Diablo-Area-Community-Benefit@kp.org or visit, kp.org/communitybenefit/ncal