Two local nonprofits are working with a health insurance company to provide free vision care for unhoused and low-income residents at 40 Prado Homeless Services Center in San Luis Obispo.
SLO County residents staying at 40 Prado are receiving eye care at a three-day pop-up clinic hosted by the SLO Community Action Partnership, the SLO Noor Foundation and VSP Vision.
Corey Patton is an unhoused resident staying at 40 Prado. After a series of health problems, he was able to receive free vision care and pick up a free pair of prescription glasses.
“They gave me my prescription. So when I go to get my license, I have prescription sunglasses for the road,” Patton said.
Patton said he’s finally found new housing thanks to 40 Prado, and he’s excited to receive care before he leaves.
Dr. Rupert Chowins, the SLO Noor Foundation’s Vision Clinic Director, was at the pop-up clinic with four other volunteer optometrists providing care for the patients.
“Thousands of people, they just put up with [poor vision] — they can't see, they don't have access, it's too expensive,” Chowins said.
Chowins said he’s been teaming with CAPSLO and VSP Vision for four years to provide this service.
“We are an affluent society in America, we're certainly affluent in San Luis Obispo, but there's still a lot of people that don't have access to health care and so we're trying to be that place, that medical home for those that do fall through the cracks,” Chowins said.
According to the US Census, about 19,000 SLO county residents under 65 are uninsured. SLO County’s 2022 Point-in-Time count found there’s about 1400 people experiencing homelessness across the county.
Today is the last day to receive free vision care at 40 Prado pop-up clinic, but you can learn more about free medical care here. The pop-up clinic opens at 8a.m. and closes this evening at 5p.m.
