UIW RSO Working to Combat Glaucoma

The University of the Incarnate Word Rosenberg School of Optometry (UIWRSO) is pleased to announce that Capital One will provide community support for a new effort titled “Combating Glaucoma in a High Risk Community.”  This support will allow UIWRSO to provide community education for residents on the Eastside of San Antonio regarding the dangers of glaucoma and the need for annual eye examinations to detect it.  Monies will also be used to provide patient care in a Glaucoma Clinic to be located at UIW’s Bowden Eye Care & Health Center, 2547 East Commerce Street.  This clinic will operate one day a week and will be the initiative for the Glaucoma Center of Excellence.

“The opening of our new Glaucoma Clinic at the Bowden Center will be a tremendous benefit for the population at high risk for this disease who live on the Eastside. The clinic will provide access to immediately affordable, high-quality treatment and important long-term care to dramatically reduce the loss of vision and decrease in quality of life of the patients we serve in the community,” said Dr. Timothy Wingert, dean, UIW Rosenberg School of Optometry.

Patients will be provided a voucher to cover the cost of a comprehensive examination and all special testing procedures.  Patients will be selected to receive the vouchers based on the following criteria: (a) age 50 years or greater, (b) African-American or Hispanic ethnicity, (3) a history of having been treated for glaucoma in the past or a family history of glaucoma (parents or siblings), and (4) able to qualify for the 80% poverty level based on income and lack of medical insurance.  If patients are in need of treatment, they will have medical treatment initiated.  Glaucoma medications used at the clinic are donated by pharmaceutical companies.  The new Glaucoma Clinic will fall under our Ocular Health Services and will be under the supervision of Dr. Richard Trevino.

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CONTACT:    Margaret Garcia, associate director public relations, (210) 422-4052, mlgarci2@uiwtx.edu