THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 16, 1997 TAG: 9701160008
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: 26 lines
In Virginia, nearly 14 percent of people older than 65 live below the poverty level. They do without a lot of things many of us take for granted. One of these things is medical eye care, something this group can ill afford to neglect. As a result, many seniors suffer needless loss of vision.
More than 181 opthalmologists in Virginia volunteer for the National Eye Care Project (NECP), a public-service project of the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the Virginia Society of Ophthalmology. The program offers medical eye care, at no out-of-pocket cost, to Americans in need who are older than 65 and not currently being treated by an opthalmologist. Program volunteers have cared for more than 185,000 people to date.
I encourage your readers to call the NECP - 1-800-222-EYES - for a referral to a local medical eye doctor. Or if you know of someone who needs this care, call the NECP on his behalf. The NECP is working to help older Americans keep their sight for life.
JOHN D. SHEPPARD, M.D.
Norfolk, Jan. 7, 1997