The beneficial Seniors EyeCare program

In the modern times, an increasing number of people are bothered by various eye problems. Visual refractive errors including myopia and hyperopia are affecting hundreds of millions of people’s work and leisure entertainment. Well, there is a special group that needs our extra attention. Presbyopia, glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy are all age-related eye problems or diseases. In other words, these conditions happen mainly to the seniors. This group is thus significantly dependent on regular eye care.

The tough situation of seniors in terms of eye care

However, the fact is that many seniors have low or fixed incomes. A great portion of glaucoma and AMD patients are in their 60s and 70s, which means these people have retired and without normal salary income. A worse case is that some of elderly individuals are even not covered by any insurance programs. While eyeglasses and contact lenses are generally affordable by most people, the expense of treatments for the eye diseases mentioned above is quite unaffordable by many old people.

Senior EyeCare program provides great help

Low-income senior guys who need eye care urgently are definitely in a dilemma. Fortunately, the Senior EyeCare program entitles US citizens or legal residents above 65 (do not belong to an HMO or have Veteran’s vision care) to a volunteer ophthalmologist in their area. The pre-condition is that he or she has not seen a doctor in the last three years or more. The diagnosis and treatment are free up to one year, which is covered by the program or the seniors’ Medicare as well as other insurance. The Senior EyeCare program is helpful for low income seniors to prevent existing eye diseases from leading to blindness.

The founding and development of Senior EyeCare

Sponsored by the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the Knights Templar Eye Foundation Inc, Seniors EyeCare Program has been running since 1986 and more than 800,000 seniors have received medical eye care. The program was also called the National Eye Care Project previously before its present name.