Miller S C
J Am Optom Assoc. 1993 Sep;64(9):613-6.
There are an estimated 18 million uninsured working Americans and their families who are unable to afford the cost of eye care. These individuals often fall between the cracks of government and private health care assistance. Members of the American Optometric Association have developed the VISION USA program to provide free eye care to those who might otherwise not receive it.
Nearly 8,000 doctors of optometry nationwide have volunteered to provide free eye examinations in their offices for VISION USA patients. Patients are screened for eligibility and matched to the nearest available participating doctor using a computerized ZIP code matching system. Examinations are usually provided each year during March in observance of Save Your Vision Week.
In the first three years of the program, services have been provided to over 115,000 individuals. For over 21 percent of the patients seen, this was their first eye examination ever. More than 86 percent of the patients had one or more vision problems. More than 70 percent were given new or updated prescriptions.
The VISION USA program is helping to meet a significant unmet need for eye care which exists within a segment of the American population. The program is an outstanding example of the willingness of doctors of optometry to give back to their communities, and to those in need, some of what they have gained from the practice of their profession.
据估计，有1800万未参保的美国在职人员及其家属无力承担眼部护理费用。这些人往往处于政府和私人医疗保健援助的缝隙之中。美国验光协会的成员开发了“美国视力”项目，为那些否则可能无法获得眼部护理的人提供免费眼部护理。
全国近8000名验光师自愿在其办公室为“美国视力”项目的患者提供免费眼部检查。通过计算机化的邮政编码匹配系统对患者进行资格筛查，并将其与最近的参与项目的医生进行匹配。通常在每年3月开展检查，以纪念“拯救你的视力周”。
在该项目的头三年里，已为超过11.5万人提供了服务。在接受检查的患者中，超过21%的人是首次进行眼部检查。超过86%的患者有一个或多个视力问题。超过70%的患者获得了新的或更新的处方。
“美国视力”项目正在帮助满足美国一部分人群中存在的对眼部护理这一重大未满足需求。该项目是验光师愿意回馈其社区以及有需要的人的一个杰出典范，他们将从职业实践中获得的部分成果回馈给了社区和有需要的人。
