Vision Clinic
We launched our community vision clinics in Fall 2025 in collaboration with Penn Sight Savers and the Scheie Eye Institute. With the generous support of the Penn’s President’s Engagement Prize and the Hassenfeld Foundation Social Impact Grant, SHOP has been able to bring community-based vision clinics to partner sites across Philadelphia. Through these portable clinics, volunteers provide visual acuity and color vision testing, intraocular pressure measurement, fundus photography, free reading glasses, and referrals for guests who may need further evaluation or treatment. This support has allowed us not only to identify vision needs, but also to help guests overcome barriers to accessing continued eye care.
The idea for SHOP’s vision clinic grew from a need we repeatedly saw at our community partner sites: many guests had vision concerns but no practical path to routine eye care. Transportation, appointments, insurance, and follow-up can all create major barriers. Rather than asking guests to navigate the health system alone, SHOP developed a portable clinic model that brings the first step of eye care to places they already know and trust.