Mobile clinic provides free eye exams for Albany residents

Although there are many benefits of undergoing a comprehensive eye exam, a large portion of the population does not schedule them as often as they should. According to the Albany Herald, much of the blame can be levied on the fact that some people do not have the means to pay for such a procedure. However, a mobile clinic sponsored by a local vision care provider is trying to remedy the problem this weekend.

The news source reports that eye health is an often unmet public health need, and children are especially vulnerable. A recent nationwide survey of 4,000 Americans found that 76 percent of children under have never had their vision inspected.

"In an eye exam, you can detect a lot of diseases," operator of the mobile clinic Kim Rankin told the news provider. "The eye is the only part of the body that you can look directly into and look at the blood vessels."

According to the American Optometric Association (AOA) one of the most common vision problems among children is amblyopia, or lazy eye. The AOA reports that early detection can lead to full recovery, so school age children should have an eye exam every two years.