Emory Eye Center physicians and medical volunteers from organizations throughout Atlanta came together to provide vision screenings at U.S. Rep. David Scott’s 13th Congressional District Health Fair. The vision screening event was coordinated by the Emory School of Medicine (SOM) Ophthalmology Interest Group (OIG) fourth-year medical student leaders Jeffrey Tran and Philip Garza under the supervision of retina physician Purnima Patel (res. ’06-09) of the Emory Eye Center.
As OIG’s faculty sponsor, Patel was very involved in the extensive planning and preparation for the large-scale event. For the first time, with her efforts, the Center initiated a collaborative venture between Atlanta organizations Prevent Blindness Georgia, Georgia Lions Lighthouse, Emory School of Medicine, and Morehouse School of Medicine.
Emory Eye Center residency program assistant director and glaucoma specialist, Jeremy Jones (res. ’09-12, glaucoma fellowship ’13), residents Sahitya Reddy (PGY2) and Himanshu Banda (PGY3), joined over 30 medical students from Emory and Morehouse for the five-hour outreach.
“Patients were able to receive visual acuity testing, eye pressure checks, visual field testing, fundus examinations, and fundus photos all in one place,” says Patel. “In previous years the services were provided at different stations. By having all groups in one location, we were able to efficiently screen a high-volume of patients in a short amount of time."
Event impact:
• 191 patients completed glaucoma screening
• 80 patients failed screening and received further work-up with FDT perimetry and funduscopy and/or fundus photographs
• 28 new glaucoma suspects were identified (28 of 191 provides a positive screening rate of 14.7% for glaucoma)
• 6 cases of non-glaucoma eye disease were identified, including a case of macular degeneration and a case of severe vision loss from macular scarring
Volunteers:
Emory Eye Center: 2 attendings, 2 residents
Emory SOM: 22 medical students
Morehouse SOM: 10 medical students
Prevent Blindness Georgia: 2 volunteers + equipment
Georgia Lions Lighthouse: 1 volunteers + equipment