Cincinnati Eye Institute Foundation

THE CINCINNATI EYE INSTITUTE FOUNDATION'S (CEIF) MISSION IS TO PRESERVE AND IMPROVE SIGHT. CEIF PROVIDES ACCESS TO EYE CARE SERVICES FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE AND THE UNDERSERVED IN THE REGION. IT ALSO ADVANCES THE EDUCATION OF EYE CARE PROFESSIONALS, IT EDUCATES THE PUBLIC ABOUT VISION-RELATED ISSUES, AND IT FUNDS EYE-RELATED RESEARCH. CEIF HAS FOUND THAT THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT WAY TO ACHIEVE ITS MISSION AND GOALS IS THROUGH THE SHARING OF RESOURCES, THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION, AND THE FORGING OF COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER COMMUNITY GROUPS, AGENCIES AND LIKE-MINDED INDIVIDUALS. CEIF HAS COME TO REALIZE THAT IT TAKES A COMMUNITY-WIDE EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT ALL INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN GREATER CINCINNATI HAVE ACCESS TO THE EYE CARE THEY NEED. THIS PHILOSOPHY HAS LED TO CEIF'S OPENING FREE CLINICS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER PROVIDERS IN NEIGHBORHOODS OF HIGH POVERTY AND HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT.

THE CEI FOUNDATION'S VISION CLINICS LOCATED IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF ROSELAWN, PRICE HILL AND COLLEGE HILL/NORTH COLLEGE HILL PROVIDE FREE COMPREHENSIVE DILATED EYE EXAMS BY OPHTHALMOLOGISTS. THESE CLINICS SERVE THE POOR AND UNINSURED ADULT POPULATION OF GREATER CINCINNATI/TRI-STATE COMMUNITY. THE HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF PATIENTS SEEN AT BOTH CLINICS ARE AT OR BELOW 200% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES WITH NO GOVERNMENT OR PRIVATE EYE INSURANCE COVERAGE. THESE CLINICS PROVIDE PATIENTS WITH COMPREHENSIVE, DILATED EYE EXAMS, TESTS FOR EYE DISEASE, ASSISTANCE WITH PHARMACEUTICAL INDIGENT CARE APPLICATIONS FOR FREE OR REDUCED PRICE MEDICATIONS AND VOUCHERS FOR FREE PRESCRIPTION EYE GLASSES INCLUDING LENSES AND FRAMES. SINCE THE OPENING OF OUR FIRST CLINIC IN 2008, CEIF VISION CLINICS HAVE SEEN ALMOST 10,500 PATIENTS. CEIF VISION CLINICS CONTINUE TO BE THE ONLY ADULT FREE CARE EYE CLINICS IN THE REGION.

THE KERSTINE VISION OUTREACH PROGRAM PROVIDES FREE PREVENTIVE EYE SCREENINGS AND LECTURES ON MAINTAINING EYE HEALTH AND EYE DISEASE THROUGHOUT THE GREATER CINCINNATI COMMUNITY. THE VISION OUTREACH PROGRAM TARGETS ALL ADULTS AGED 60+ AND ADULT AFRICAN AMERICANS AND LATINOS BECAUSE OF THEIR HIGHER PREVALENCE RATES OF EYE DISEASE DUE TO DIABETES AND OTHER DISEASES. THE PROGRAM WORKS DIRECTLY WITH LOCAL NONPROFIT AGENCIES, COMMUNITY CENTERS, SENIOR CENTER, CHURCHES, AND RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES TO PROVIDE ONSITE SCREENING AND LECTURES ON PREVENTING AND TREATING EYE DISEASE. FOLLOW-UP SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TO PARTICIPANTS NEEDING ADDITIONAL TESTING OR CARE, INCLUDING ASSISTANCE IN OBTAINING MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS WITH LOCAL EYE CARE PROVIDERS, OR THROUGH CHARITABLE AGENCIES INCLUDING THE CEI FOUNDATION'S VISION CLINICS.

THE CINCINNATI EYE INSTITUTE FOUNDATION (CEIF) CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THE EDUCATION OF EYE CARE PROFESSIONALS IN THE REGION THROUGH CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR DOCTORS OF OPTOMETRY, THROUGH PROMOTION OF PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION OF OPHTHALMOLOGY TECHNICIANS, AND CEIF'S CONTINUED SUPPORTS OPHTHALMOLOGY RESIDENTS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF OPHTHALMOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI'S COLLEGE OF MEDICINE. CEIF HAS PROVIDED THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO HELP INCREASE THE NUMBER OF OPHTHALMOLOGY RESIDENTS FROM 9 TO 12. THE HOPE IS THAT ONCE THEIR RESIDENCY IS COMPLETE, THESE RESIDENTS WILL REMAIN IN THE GREATER CINCINNATI AREA TO PRACTICE.IN 2013, CEIF JOINED WITH THE ONESIGHT FOUNDATION, THE CINCINNATI PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, THE CINCINNATI HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THE OHIO OPTOMETRIC ASSOCIATION TO ESTABLISH THE ONESIGHT EYE CLINIC AT OYLER SCHOOL IN THE LOWER PRICE HILL AREA OF CINCINNATI. THE CEI FOUNDATION PROVIDED THE DESIGN AND BUSINESS MODEL FOR THE CLINIC WHICH BECAME THE COUNTRY'S FIRST, FINANCIALLY SELF-SUSTAINING EYE CLINIC WITHIN A SCHOOL BASED HEALTH CENTER.