(The Center Square) – After a two year hiatus, the Seattle/King County Clinic is looking to provide more than 1,000 people eye care from Oct. 20 through Oct. 23.
The clinic will be hosted in the Seattle Center with the goal of organizers recruiting hundreds of volunteers to provide eye exams and prescription eyeglasses free of charge, according to the City of Seattle.
“Even if you have health insurance, many plans don’t cover vision care, and there are almost no options for free or low-cost prescription glasses,” Dennis Worsham, interim director of Public Health for Seattle & King County, said in a statement. “Seattle/King County Clinic provides immediate relief to people who face barriers to getting critical vision care.”
The clinic has provided $20 million in direct services to 23,000 patients from 2014 to 2020, according to the Seattle Center.
Since its inception, more than 22,000 volunteers have worked for the clinic to provide healthcare during the events.
Today, Seattle and King County announced they are seeking eye care professionals, social workers, health insurance navigators, interpreters and general support volunteers to fill roles within the clinic during the four day stretch in October.
But, unlike in previous years, no dental or medical care will be provided. The clinic said in a social media post that the decision was made as a result of a loss of dates in the Climate Pledge Arena inside the Seattle Center and the inability to find alternative options.
Despite only eye care being provided, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell sees the Seattle/King County Clinic as a way to improve the health of community members in need.
“Every person deserves access to quality vision and health care, but, sadly, the existing costly, cumbersome, and racially inequitable system causes too many to fall through the cracks without getting the support they need,” Harrell said. “Seattle/King County Clinic is a great example for how we can create change and foster a healthier community by coming together through trust and collaboration.”
In 2020, the most recent year the clinic was held, 4,622 volunteers provided just over $3 million in dental, vision and medical care to over 3,000 people, according to the Seattle/King County Clinic.
The clinic is funded by healthcare organizations, civic agencies, and various nonprofits and private businesses. The Seattle Police Department, the Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs and Seattle and King County Public Health have also contributed resources to the clinic.
