A Vision for the Community

“Life-changing” isn’t what comes to mind when you think of a trip to the eye doctor, but that is what the Cincinnati Eye Institute Foundation (CEIF) is doing. Through community outreach, education and research, CEIF makes a profound difference in the lives of some of the community’s most vulnerable citizens. 

Community Outreach

Retired ophthalmologists Dr. Richard Kerstine, Dr. David Brounley and Dr. James Faulkner volunteer their time to provide free dilated eye exams at the Roselawn and St. Vincent De Paul free clinics. For Dr. Kerstine and Dr. Faulkner, two of the founders of Cincinnati Eye Institute, it’s the work of true passion. When a person visits the clinic, they receive care from a physician who can provide a prescription and can help them obtain glasses with a voucher through the clinic’s partner, OneSight Foundation. 

Doctors will also refer patients with more severe needs to the University of Cincinnati. More than 1,400 dilated eye exams were performed at the two clinics in 2015. Of those patients, 76 percent received vouchers for free eyeglasses and six percent received referrals to UC for follow up or surgery. 

Patrick Ward, the president and CEO of CEIF, knows the clinics are making a difference. “In just the first day of operation at the St. Vincent De Paul location, out of the first 15 patients that were evaluated, four had undiagnosed glaucoma,” he says.

Amy Jones, manager of Community Outreach, says, “Glaucoma is called the thief in the night, it’s an asymptomatic disease and you don’t know you have it until it’s too late, unless you get regular screenings.” 

What impresses Ward the most is “seeing the impact that our volunteer doctors and staff have on the lives of these individuals. As the only adult free clinics in the Tri-State region, we are the last hope for many of

these patients.”  

Along with regular clinic hours, CEIF also offers screenings at sites throughout the region. Jones says a basic screening evaluates near and distance vision as well as tests for glaucoma and other eye diseases. If issues are found, qualifying patients are then referred to one of CEIF’s clinics for further care. 

Education

Education is a core ingredient of CEIF’s mission. It helps fund resident positions in the Department of Ophthalmology at UC College of Medicine. Residents 

work closely with CEI doctors who teach and mentor them. Continuing professional education for optometrists is also a funding priority for the foundation. By ensuring that eye care professionals – existing and future – are supported, CEIF safeguards the vision health of Greater Cincinnati’s community members for generations to come. 

Dr. Kerstine regularly visits organizations, senior centers and local businesses with his educational lecture called “The Aging Eye.” Jones also provides screenings at these events. This program helps seniors understand health risks that threaten their vision as they age. For perspective, Ward says, CEIF vision clinics have treated about 5,600 patients; Dr. Kerstine’s program has educated more than 21,000 community members.  

Research

Research is a funding focus that Ward would like to see grow. Dr. Robert Sisk is a CEI physician and an ophthalmologist for the division of pediatric ophthalmology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and an assistant professor of the Department of Ophthalmology at UC. He specializes in vitreoretinal diseases and retina surgery for adults and children, which includes hereditary diseases. CEIF helps fund genetic testing that children undergo as part of Sisk’s studies.

Daniel Miller, MD, PhD, and the medical director of CEI, is working with Dr. Winston Kao, director of Ophthalmic Research Laboratories and Crawley Vision Research Center at UC on a research study focusing on retinitis pigmentosa, a hereditary disease that affects the patient’s photoreceptor cells (rods and cones). The disease causes cells to die and ultimately leads to blindness. There is no cure and no available treatment. Dr. Miller and Dr. Kao, with funding support from CEIF, are working to identify the genetic markers and develop a cure to this

devastating disease.

Cincinnati Eye Institute’s main campus is located at 1945 CEI Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45242. You can reach them at 513.984.5133 or visit their website at www.cincinnatieye.com.

For more information about the Cincinnati Eye Institute

Foundation, call 866.466.2343 or visit www.ceifoundation.org.