FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Reynolds’ Opticianry Students Team up with VA Hospital Center to Make Eyeglasses for Honduras Mission RICHMOND, VA (February 7, 2007) – First year Opticianry students attending J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College this semester will fabricate over 500 pair of eyeglasses for Honduras residents. The Virginia Hospital Center will deliver the eyeglasses during its annual medical missionary trip in November of 2007. “This is an amazing real-life opportunity for our first year students, as they will be making eyewear for real patients. Most students don’t start making patient eyewear until their second year in the opticianry degree program,” said Opticianry Program Director Kristi Ostrom. J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College is the only college in the state of Virginia that has a public opticianry degree program, and was hand picked by Virginia Hospital Center to execute the fabrication of eyewear for their annual mission. Virginia Hospital Center’s 70-member medical team has been taking trips to Honduras every year for the past seven years to provide free healthcare for Hondurans. There are six medical teams: pediatrics, primary care, eye care, physical therapy, pharmacy, and surgery. The eye care team is comprised of three Virginia opticians, one ophthalmologist, and six volunteers. “The majority of the patients in Honduras have stigmatisms. The eyewear that our students are making will actually match their prescriptions instead of us just sending eyewear that is close to the patients’ prescription. They will have new lenses and new frames instead of ones that are discarded by others,” says Ostrom. Opticianry students will begin the fabrication process in early February. Students will have two days a week over the course of the next three months to make 500 pair of glasses. Opticianry laboratory clinical instructor John Seegers will be overseeing the production of the students’ eyewear. Serving over 17,000 students annually, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College is the youngest and third largest of 23 community colleges in Virginia. The College operates three campuses serving residents in the City of Richmond and the counties of Henrico, Hanover, Goochland, Powhatan and Louisa.
###
J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College | Press Center |
