IT’S A SIMPLE, sad fact that in this country millions of children are dependent on charitable organizations, and the doctors who work with them, for their vision exams and eyewear. On the local level, many practices encounter community members in need, and even if the ODs are willing to donate their time, providing the hardware — like frames, lenses and finishing —is a hurdle that is hard to overcome. Luckily, there are resources to tackle just this problem, and doctors making the most of them, like Dr. Jerry Gundersheimer, owner of Eye-Do Optical in Sherman, TX.
THE IDEA
Gundersheimer has been a member of the Sherman Noon Lions Club for 25 years, and has been providing free eye exams and eyeglasses to needy schoolchildren in Grayson County, Texas for the vast majority of that time. His optical manager, Albert Yougas, got wind of the Changing Life Through Lenses Program from the non-profit Essilor Vision Foundation (EVF) via Eye Do’s Essilor rep (you don’t have to be an Essilor customer to join the program; see below). This created an opportunity for the club to save the expense of the lenses, frames and lens finishing, the cost of which is now picked up by EVF. They have been doing so for at least six months now.
THE EXECUTION
The partnership has been highly successful, according to Gundersheimer, who has seen about a hundred kids or so since it began. With its help, he has also been seeing adults on behalf of the Sherman Evening Lions Club. “The Essilor Vision Foundation has been a dream come true for us. They are so easy to work with. The lenses they provide are of superior optical quality, too.”
According to Gundersheimer, Essilor will walk you through the steps it takes to send the glasses in for Rx-ing. “It’s a no-brainer,” he says.
EVF also has programs for optician-owned boutiques, including See Kids Soar, an in-office donation campaign that gives optical staff the tools they need to raise funds for underprivileged kids who are going without eyecare.
THE REWARDS
“As optometrists,” says Gundersheimer, “we took an oath to make certain that no individual in our community lacked for proper vision care.” The Changing Life Through Lenses program, he says, “helps each of us to fulfill that portion of our oath.” He adds that it has created goodwill for his practice throughout his community via word-of-mouth, and the satisfaction that comes from serving those we live with who can’t otherwise afford their vision care needs.
Gundersheimer says there may be financial benefits in the form of others hearing about his benevolence, and thus widening his paying patient base, “But truthfully, if this is the motivation for entering into this particular public domain, you are doing it for the wrong reason! The benefits are more emotional, and that is far more rewarding, in my opinion.
“We will continue to avail ourselves of this relationship as long as the Essilor Vision Foundation will continue to provide this amazing program.”
Do It Yourself: Partner with Essilor Vision Foundation
- CALL YOUR REP. “My advice to anyone who wishes to utilize this program,” says Gundersheimer, “is to contact your Essilor rep and see how easy it would be to help those very deserving individuals out.”
- NO REP? NO PROB. You don’t have to be an Essilor customer to participate. Create an account here: changinglifethroughlenses.org
- NOT AN OD? Essilor Vision Foundation’s See Kids Soar program can help your optical retail biz raise funds for kids who can’t afford vision care: evfusa.org/get-involved/see-kids-soar-enrollment
- TESTIMONIAL. Watch Dr. Gundersheimer discuss his experience with the program here: invisionmag.com/051901
- SMALL PRINT. EVF will ask you to sign an agreement; among the requirements are an NPI or license number. Patients must be at, or below, the poverty level and without insurance to qualify.