The Lions Optometric Vision Clinic (LOVC) was created in 1963 as a service project, with the support of the local San Diego County Lions Clubs in California. The first clinic was located in the Blind Recreation Center and later moved to its own clinic below the center. The LOVC was established to provide vision care to individuals in our community that could not otherwise afford adequate care. This service has provided eyeglasses to over 10,000 individuals. More than 200 San Diego agencies currently refer patients to the clinic. Each patient must meet certain criteria in order to receive benefits from the clinic. It has been the tireless effort and dedication of volunteers from the Lions Club and the San Diego County Optometric Society that have made this a successful project.
In August 2000, the clinic moved to its present location on the Third Floor of the newly built Blind Community Center on Upas Street. The clinic has two fully equipped exam lanes for optometric examinations. The most modern optical instruments and professional diagnostic equipment available at the time was purchased through donations of Lions International Foundation, the San Diego County Optometric Society and Lions Clubs of District 4L6, as well as individual donors. The clinic is staffed by three employees, an Office Manager, an Optician and an Optometric Assistant. The members of the San Diego County Optometric Society volunteer their professional services and time Monday through Fridays. Complete optometric care is available including examination for lenses, dispensing glasses, glaucoma and other eye health screenings, evaluation for low vision appliances and consulting services for other related vision problems.
Some of the populations we help are:
- Rehabilitation and Senior programs
- School aged kids K-12, as well as those in college and adult education programs
- Juvenile Facilities: Campo, Camp Barret, GRF, Juvenile Hall
- Dependents of our military (E-6 and below, as well as enlisted retirees)
- Also provide vision therapy, at no cost, for elementary school kids.
We tend to average around 20-30 patients per day. That’s 400-600 patients per month!
All of our doctors volunteer their time and the majority of frames are donated.