Free ocular disease screenings are provided in the Bronx every two to three months with resident participation. The team is comprised of a supervising faculty member, residents, and medical students.
Through this activity, residents are expected to meet the following learning objectives:
- To provide a valuable service free of charge to an underserved and indigent community
- To learn the benefit of community outreach in widening a patient referral base
- To develop skills and habits to work effectively as a member of a health care team
- To teach medical students basic ophthalmologic examination skills
During the free ocular disease screening, a team approach is employed to evaluate as many patients as possible. Anywhere from twenty to one hundred patients may be screened during one day.
Through an SBH affiliation with Columbia Presbyterian, our residents participate in a mobile ocular screening program employing telemedicine to study the incidence of ocular diseases and vision loss in our community. The van is equipped with an OCT to allow for a more sophisticated diagnosis of glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. Based on the findings of the examination, a recommendation is made to the patient for appropriate follow-up care.