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The District 33-Y Lions Orthoptic Clinic was founded in 1951 by the late
Lion Russell S. Koch who became the Clinic’s first president. Since that
time this non-profit, patient-oriented program has served thousands in
western and central Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire
and New York suffering from eye muscle imbalance issues.
Patients range in age from 6 months old to 94 years young! When our Orthoptist, Shelley Klein Weiss, began working as an orthoptist 21 years ago, 85% of her patients were children, Now she sees about 50% children, 50% adults.
The Clinic is almost exclusively funded by the Lions Clubs of Western Massachusetts. Patients must be recommended to the clinic by an ophthalmologist and after that, NO ONE is turned away due to cost. This is a legacy the Lions are truly proud of!
What is "Orthoptics"?
What disorders
do Orthoptists treat?
What training
does an Orthoptist undergo?
About our Orthoptist
Where does
the Clinic get its funding from?
Russell S. Koch
Award
District 33Y
Lions Orthoptic Clinic Board of Directors
To Contact
us for more information
The word “Orthoptic” has a Greek origin and is derived
from ortho (straight) and optics (eyes). As such, Orthoptics is an ophthalmic
science involving the issues of eye vision, coordination and movement. It
is an allied health profession in which the orthoptist works with ophthalmologists
to correct problems that encompass the inability to use the eyes together
due to eye muscle or sensory malfunction. Many of these patients are young
children as many of these disorders occur at an early age. Adult eye movement
disorders are often neurologic and involve a neuro-opthalmologist.
What disorders do Orthoptists treat?
The orthoptist is skilled in many diagnostic tests concerning binocular vision disorders. These disorders include crossed eyes, lazy eye, and double vision. The orthoptist may carry out the necessary treatment or train the patient in the appropriate eye exercise regimen. In other cases, the test data is returned to the referring ophthalmologist for other treatments or surgery. Often the orthoptist assists in surgery.
Orthoptic procedures have evolved over the years. In the 1940’s to early 1960’s, very intensive eye exercise therapies were performed in the clinic, sometimes over months. Now the majority of patients are taught the exercises to be performed at home with only monthly exams to monitor progress. Shelly Klein Weiss spends most of her time evaluating patients and making recommendations to the referring ophthalmologist.
In 1975, the 3M company developed temporary prisms which increased the treatment success of those with double vision over the fixed prism method which required frequent lens changes.
For the last 10 years the use of Atropine has been
important in the treatment of Amblyopia. Amblyopia involves the decrease
of vision due to muscle imbalance and/or a refractive abnormality. The
Atropine blurs the “strong” eye forcing the use of the “weak” eye and replacing
the use of an eye patch.
What training does an Orthoptist undergo?
Orthoptists who have completed a 24 month internship
in an accredited program and the associated examinations are awarded a
certificate of proficiency by the American Orthoptic Council. The AOC was
formed in 1938 and are responsible for setting the standards for proficiency.
The internships are affiliated with medical colleges and universities and
includes instruction through lectures and practical clinical experience.
Once accredited, the orthoptist is then eligible for membership in the American
Association of Certified Orthoptists.
Shelley Klein Weiss, our current Orthoptist, graduated from Rutgers University in 1975. She went on to complete a course in Orthoptics at University Hospital in Iowa City and an Orthoptic Internship at the Children’s Hospital in Buffalo, NY from 1975 to 1976.
In 1976 Shelley became a Board Certified Orthoptist by the American Orthoptist Council and joined the American Association of Certified Orthoptist. From 1997 to 1980 Shelley was with the Veterans Administration Hospital in Buffalo. Her responsibilities included Fluorescein Angiography, assisting in surgery, refractometry, perimetry, tonometry, contact lens instruction and resident teaching. She became a Board Certified Ophthalmic Technician by the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel.
Shelley has been with the Lions Orthoptic Clinic since 1980. She completes full Orthoptic evaluations with reports of findings and recommendations back to the referring MD. She also provides Teller Acuity Card testing and Fresnel Prism use. She has become a Board Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technician by the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel and certified in CPR by the American Heart Association. She is a member of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus.
Shelley also joined the staff at Ophthalmic Surgical Associates in Waterbury, CT, in 1999 where she assists a pediatric ophthalmologist and neuroophthalmologist in performing eye muscle and sensory exams.
Shelley is a frequent moderator and presenter at
Eastern Regional Orthoptic meetings and performs Low Vision and Vision screenings
at local parochial schools and fairs.
Where does the Clinic get its funding from?
The District 33Y Lions Orthoptic Clinic is very unique in that it is independent of private ophthalmology practices and of hospitals. It is at least 50% funded by the Lions Clubs of District 33Y and the balance comes from affordable patient fees. No patient is turned away for financial reasons once they are referred to the clinic by an ophthalmologist.
Once a patient is recommended to the clinic by an ophthalmologist, NO
ONE is turned away due to cost. This is a legacy the Lions are truly proud
of! If you wish to request financial assistance for
your care at the Lions Orthoptic Clinic please contact the Clinic directly
at the address/phone number above.
Given for dedicated and compassionate service to others in need of vision-related treatment or assistance.
This award is presented to anyone who has given a special commitment to those in need of vision correction and financial assistance. This service includes exceptional examples of interviewing applicants for club “eye case” financial assistance, organizing the used eyeglass collection program, efforts to provide vision appliances or exams to the public, or serving in the activities of the Orthoptic Clinic itself, and more!
This award is available to any Lions or Lioness
club that wishes to honor someone who has served in this way via a donation
of $250.00 to the Lions Orthoptic Clinic. The Clinic also reserves the honor
of presenting one award each year to deserving candidates. Please contact
Lion Jonathan K. Oelrich
for more information.
District 33Y
Lions Orthoptic Clinic Board of Directors.
| President | PDG James Gracia |
| Vice President | PZC Jim Allen |
| Secretary | ZC Bea Turner |
| Treasurer | PZC Jonahan K. Oelrich |
| Orthoptist | Shelly Klein Weiss |
| Directors
|
RC Don Adams Bev Grady Ed Holly Gary Lewis PCST Bev Prentice IPDG Greg Prentice Ann Snow PCC Paul Snow Larry Whalen |
To Contact us for more information:
Lions Orthoptic Clinic
130 Maple Street
Suite 326
Springfield, MA 01103
413-739-0147
33YLOC@verizon.net
PDG James A. Gracia
99 Glendale St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
413-527-5290
Jonathan
K. Oelrich, Koch Award and General Info
3 Spring Street
Easthampton, MA 01027
Last Revised 7/10/2005