THE BRONX — Getting your eyes checked is about to become much more convenient in The Bronx.
The SUNY College of Optometry plans to expand its Homebound Program into The Bronx, which provides quality vision and eye care for people who cannot leave their homes, such as elderly or disabled residents.
The program, currently based only in Manhattan and Queens, is heading to the borough thanks to a $120,000 grant from the New York Community Trust. It should be ready to launch in The Bronx by December or January.
"We get calls periodically from residents who want to know if we can come to The Bronx, and we’ve gotten a number of those," said Dr. Richard Soden, director of health care development at the SUNY College of Optometry. "And that’s why we decided to take that borough next."
Optometrists with the Homebound Program can treat a range of issues, such as changing a person's glasses prescription, caring for patients with glaucoma or reduced vision due to diabetes, as well as allergic reactions like itchy eyes, burning and redness.
Under the expansion, one doctor would go out to The Bronx one day per week to treat people. Patients are identified through the college's referral network, or they can schedule appointments by calling SUNY at 212-938-4030.
The program will cover the entire borough, but SUNY will try to schedule daily appointments at addresses that are fairly close together in order to maximize the number of patients they can treat, according to Soden.
Soden hopes to eventually expand the Homebound Program into Brooklyn and Staten Island as well.
The New York Community Trust decided to fund the program because it is in line with their goal of keeping seniors independent, according to Rachel Pardoe, the organization's program officer for health and people with special needs.
"The people that they’re serving, they are doing well in their homes. They can stay in their homes, and the only thing that is potentially a problem here is their vision," she said.
"By SUNY providing this service, they’re ensuring that these people can stay independent."
