The Seattle/King County Clinic recently concluded its four-day run at Seattle Center, providing free eye exams and prescription eyeglasses to more than 1,000 people in need who participated in the Clinic – the first such clinic offered since the pandemic hiatus.
The comprehensive vision clinic included a review of each patient’s medical and vision history and offered diagnostic tests such autorefraction, visual acuity, tonometry, lensometry, refraction, slit lamps, slit lamp microbioscopy and ocular coherent tomography.
Among patients, more than 90 percent selected new optician-fitted frames from a wide variety of styles and had prescription eyeglasses ordered – for delivery in early December. In addition, participants were assisted with social work and health insurance navigation. More than 90 referrals were issued for follow-up care in cases where cataracts, glaucoma, and other eye issues were detected.
According to Washington Healthcare Access Alliance, vision care is one of the scarcest health services in the state for people in need. At this year’s Clinic, approximately half of the patients were unemployed, disabled or retired, with college students and children under 18 counting for just under 10 percent. Three percent identified as military veterans.
As in previous years, the majority of patients cited a lack of insurance or being underinsured as their primary barriers to receiving vision care – they also came to the Clinic from across the region and spoke more than 30 primary languages.
Led by Seattle Center and Seattle Center Foundation, Seattle/King County Clinic brings together healthcare organizations, civic agencies, nonprofits and private businesses to transform Seattle Center facilities into a vision care operation, with an average of 250 licensed healthcare professionals and general support volunteers each day donating their time and expertise.
Seattle/King County Clinic is made possible through thousands of donated work hours as well as cash and in-kind contributions. In its first six years, that support helped the Clinic provide $20 million in direct services to 23,000 patients.
Learn more about Seattle/King County Clinic at seattlecenter.org/skcclinic.
