Day of Service Event Helps Parents, Kids Feel Comfortable with Eye Exams

Ezrea Pinknui, of Philadelphia, brought her son, 11, and daughter, 7, to the Day of Service event at The Eye Institute (TEI) because the wait time was too long for eye appointments at other clinical sites.

“We got in here real fast. My son needs glasses, and my daughter has a lazy eye that I’m trying to get help with,” said Pinknui. “I was happy and grateful for how my kids were treated during the exams. I’ll bring them back here again.”

The event, which attracted 34 patients, was designed to provide vision care for school-age children who would not otherwise receive it. The Eye Institute does have Mobile Unit for Healthcare Resources (MUHR)  that travels to schools in the Greater Philadelphia region to deliver complimentary vision screenings and comprehensive exams.

But this time, TEI’s community outreach team invited students and their parents who have had difficulty scheduling appointments to come in to the clinical site in a single day. Optometric interns and eye doctors conducted the exams and manned the waiting room, which offered activities and arts and crafts to keep the children occupied while they waited for their exams.

Michelle Yan, OD, one of TEI’s eye doctors ,conducting the exams, said some of the children attending the Day of Service event – from ages five to 18 - were referred from their schools, and others were referred from Philadelphia’s Federally Qualified Health Centers .

“An event like this is super-important. It raises awareness on the importance of receiving a comprehensive eye exam as well as the importance of treating kids from starting at the early age of one and working into the school years,” said Dr. Yan, who joined TEI  in August 2025. “It helps the parents to know that we’re here for them in the community and to provide this comprehensive care for all ages.”

Because vision accounts for 80 percent of one’s learning, children at a young age need to receive regular eye exams and glasses if they need them, to give them the best chance to learn in the classroom, according to Brandy Scombordi, OD, director of Optometric Clinical Research at TEI and coordinator of the School Vision Programs.

“We’ve had a steady stream of patients coming in with really appreciative parents and super-cute kids,” said Dr. Scombordi. “Plus, the students get to practice the skills they’ve already learned, but more importantly they get to see what a difference they can make in the community.”