Eye Care Missions

IN SERVICE TO BETTER VISION FOR THE WORLD AROUND US The doctors and staff at Piedmont Eye Center have been involved in a variety of ongoing missions to help people who cannot afford proper eye care. These activities have included local venues in the surrounding Lynchburg area to more extensive international involvement and support. Below is a list of eye care missions for which Piedmont Eye Center is actively involved:
HEALTH IN SIGHT MINISTRY – ROATAN, HONDURAS In 2005 Dr. Darin K. Bowers of Piedmont Eye Center, along with his wife Pam (a registered nurse)and several key volunteers helped establish the first Eye Clinic in the poorest region of Roatan, Honduras. The Oakridge Community Clinic is a fully equipped eye clinic and ophthalmic surgery facility. State-of-the-art cataract equipment, instruments, autoclave, and operating microscope are used to provide surgery to patients who have little or no means to pay. Yearly, a team from Piedmont Eye Center meet up with other volunteer medical professionals to provide care to this impoverished area. To find out more about this important medical ministry or how to get involved, visit www.healthinsightministry.org."
FREE CLINIC OF CENTRAL VIRGINIA Piedmont Eye Center (PEC) has been actively involved in providing eye care to patients of the Free Clinic of Central Virginia (FCCV) since it’s opening in 1987. More recently, PEC’s founder Dr. Remo Lotano helped establish the first on-site ophthalmology specialty clinic. This clinic run two or more times each month and is often staffed by volunteers of PEC. Follow this link to read a featured article by the News & Advance about Dr. Lotano and his work at the Free Clinic. Click here to We are proud to work alongside the Free Clinic in helping provide quality eye care to patients who otherwise could not afford it. For more information about the Free Clinic of Central Virginia please visit www.fccv.net.

JOHNSON HEALTH CENTER When the Johnson Health Center (JHC) opened its doors in 1998, Piedmont Eye Center was ready to help. Patients who have limited or no insurance, or who are facing financial difficulties can find assistance through this program. Piedmont Eye Center will always be there to help provide quality comprehensive eye care for patients referred from JHC. For more information about this important resource, please visit www.jhcvirginia.org


CENTRAL VIRGINIA MEDICAL MISSIONS TEAM – JAMAICA Piedmont Eye Center retired physician and founder Dr. Remo Lotano is actively involved in helping to establish medical and surgical eye care in the Saint Thomas region of Jamaica. The group he works with is the Central Virginia Medical Missions Team (CVMMT). Plans are in the works for a new dental & ophthalmology surgery center to be built in an effort to provide quality care to the underserved. Dr. Darin K. Bowers was privileged to play a role in providing eye surgery to a twelve year old Jamaican girl named Vitara born with congenital cataracts. Read her story from the News & Advance by following this link.

EyeCare America EyeCare America is a public service program of the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. It’s mission is to preserve sight by raising awareness about eye disease and providing access to medical eye care. By age 65, one in three Americans has some form of vision-limiting eye disease. To help address this growing need, EyeCare America provides eye care to US citizens and legal residents through volunteer ophthalmologists (Eye M.D.s) at no cost to those who qualify. Piedmont Eye Center is a proud participant of this mission in providing eye care to people who could not otherwise afford it. For more information about this program log onto www.eyecareamerica.org.