Optometrist Intern at Voorthuis Opticians

Ashley Ceresini | Aceresin@terpmail.umd.edu

General Biology
Global Public Health Scholars

Fieldwork Site
Introduction ● An optometry office, Voorthuis
● Eye disorders that are easily Opticians
preventable with routine eye care ● Preventive care is offered through:
include: ○ Annual eye exams
○ Cataracts, diabetes-related
○ Providing referrals to other
retinopathy, glaucoma and Fig 1. An Optometrist examining a patient’s eye with an eye chart.
age-related macular degeneration.1 specialists for further evaluation
● With routine eye exams, eye ○ Purchasing prescription frames
disorders can be preventable and and contacts
detected early to preserve the Objectives
patient's vision. ● Understand the duties/tasks of
● People who are less likely to be able
an optometrist.
to access routine eye care include:
● Observe procedures, eye
○ Patients with Medicare in areas
with lower household incomes and exams, and patient interactions.
less educated individuals.2 ● Observe practice environment.

Fig 4. An array of glasses frames on display at the office

Challenges Faced
● Patients pay out of pocket for
Fig 3. Location of the Fieldwork Site
Fig 2. Waiting room at the Optometry Office their services which can be a
financial barrier for future
Future Efforts access to eye care and services.
Public Health Implications
● Cost is paid out of pocket by the ● Promoting preventative care ● People are not getting routine
patient which poses a problem for
to the community by eye exams to prevent eye
encouraging others to seek disorders and diseases because
those who cannot afford to pay for it.
regular eye exams. of the financial barrier.
● Patients are less likely to get their
● With yearly eye exams,
eyes checked which leads to higher ● As technology is evolving and
optometrists are able to detect becoming more advanced, it can
risk of vision complications such as early signs of eye diseases and be difficult to implement new
glaucoma, cataracts, and further prevent the progression of technology effectively.
vision impairment. these conditions.

References
Acknowledgements 1
Common eye disorders & diseases that cause vision problems. Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.).
Extending a huge thank you to Voorthuis Opticians and Anna Marie, my site supervisor for https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17130-eye-diseases

mentoring me throughout my internship. Thank you to the Global Public Health Scholars staff for 2
Staff. (2023, May 30). Lack of eye care access in US reflects socioeconomic trends. Review of Optometry.
https://www.reviewofoptometry.com/news/article/lack-of-eye-care-access-in-us-reflects-socioeconomic-trends#:~:text=A%20nationwide
the past two years. %20study%20demonstrated%20that,and%20monitoring%20degenerative%20eye%20disease