Some 23 homeless people in South Wales felt cared for last week when they had their eyes examined – many for the first time.
The pop-up clinic at a homeless centre in Cardiff resulted in 22 pairs of spectacles being dispensed, which the clinic will be supplying thanks to the support of Louis Stone and Lenstec.
Vikki Baker, an optometrist from Newport, set the clinic up following an appeal by Vision Care for Homeless People asking practitioners to reach out in their local communities.
Having studied in Cardiff, Vikki knows the area’s needs, and was aided by five volunteer colleagues.
She said: “We saw one patient with diplopia who was treating the problem with one of his lenses taped up, another with recurrent iritis, some significant myopia and several who needed reading specs. It was a very worthwhile clinic. Our receptionist at RW Cole Opticians in Newport sorted out the paperwork and with her help the clinic ran very smoothly – it was a true team effort.”
Vikki added: “There is a need for clinics in the area and my interest was sparked when I read about the Christmas Spectacle appeal by VCHP. I didn’t manage to fit it in at Christmas but the information pack was amazing – so comprehensive. It answered all my questions and gave me the confidence to give it a go: running the clinic was a lot easier than I thought. The Huggard Centre in Cardiff was the ideal location, especially as it is close to the station and they had plenty of space for us.”
Anyone interested in setting up a regular clinic in South Wales should email david.brown@vchp.org.uk