Local Outreach
Moran Provides Critical Community Outreach
The John A. Moran Eye Center is committed to providing charitable ophthalmology to our communities and worldwide. We offer service at three ophthalmology clinics in Utah for those of low socioeconomic background. With these new clinics, our residents now have opportunities to see more pathology and be involved in the medical and surgical care of these patients as primary providers with attending supervision. In addition, Moran residents are now providing a much needed service that was lacking for the surrounding communities.
One clinic is an entirely resident run service under supervision by Dr. Albert Vitale, Associate Professor at the Moran Eye Center and ophthalmology residents. This monthly clinic is in partnership with the 4th Street Homeless Clinic in Salt Lake City which annually serves more than 5,700 homeless a year. Through grant support the clinic is able to provide comprehensive ophthalmic care and procedures through the Moran Eye Center. Also, being the only major academic ophthalmology center for the Intermountain west, the Moran residents have been able to utilize their connections and resources to provide additional care that 4th Street had not had in the past.
One of our patients at the 4th Street Clinic, Mr. Jones (name changed) had spent the last five years of his life with only a clear plastic conformer in his left eye after evisceration of a blind, painful eye from years of multiple traumas. Because his vocation involves a great deal of personal interaction and he has had difficulty finding a job that would overlook this cosmetic appearance. This contributed to Mr. Jones being homeless. After evaluation, Moran residents worked with an ocularist well known to Moran patients, to get him a new prosthesis. This has led Mr. Jones to build self confidence, find a new job and he is now a productive member of our community… truly a success story. These kinds of helpful services are typical of the outcomes from the 4th Street Clinic.
Two other volunteer opportunities have been developed under Dr. Geoffrey Tabin, Professor at Moran. This includes a monthly ophthalmology free clinic established in Park City, Utah (People’s Health Clinic) where residents readily get involved and have the opportunity to be primary surgeons on cases generated from these patient encounters. Additionally, plans are currently being finalized for a Native American reservation monthly eye clinic (located in the Four Corners Region of the Southwest), where residents and faculty will fly down and be able to provide much needed services.
Finally, research with certain faculty members frequently involves free eye exams at local churches. These exams include advocacy for regular eye care and education on issues related to their pathology. These opportunities don’t even mention the well-established and recognized international beneficence programs that Moran residents have been involved in as discussed in our the International Outreach programs on our website. We feel that the Moran Eye Center, including our Residency Program has made great strides into making it one of the most socially-conscious programs in the country while at the same time enhancing the quality of training and education.
Moran Community Outreach in Utah
Ophthalmologists and other staff at the John A. Moran Eye Center donate their services and are contributing to community outreach programs in the following local communities in Utah: American Fork, Blanding, Moab, Ogden, Orem, Provo, Salt Lake City, St George Tooele, Vernal
In addition to performing charitable services in programs located in these local cities, Moran Eye Center nurses, technicians and physicians perform more than 20,000 Free vision screenings each year.