BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Forty students at Arvin High School received free eye exams and eyewear through the OneSight, a program that provides no-cost vision care to underserved families nationwide.
Destiny Lopez, a sophomore at Arvin High School, was among the students who received new glasses at no cost to her family.
"I picked some black ones. I really liked them. There was a lot of options, so it was kind of hard to choose," Lopez said.
Lopez said she has often had to sit at the front of her classes just to read the board. She said the free exam will make a real difference.
"My vision isn't that bad, but they said it could get worse, and I'm thankful they did tell me that, and I came sooner before it got worse," Lopez said.
With several siblings, Lopez said purchasing glasses could have been a challenge for her family.
"I do have a lot of siblings, so it would be hard for her to take me. They're also like very expensive and not a lot of people can get them. So I think this program is a great opportunity," Lopez said.
The OneSight serves underserved communities across the country, addressing a widespread need for vision care.
"One in three people have uncorrected poor vision. We're trying to capitalize on that and make sure that we actually serve those specific people who need that uncorrected vision," said Zachary Zeilan with OneSight.
Debbie Wood, a OneSight Kern County volunteer coordinator, has spent the past 18 years reaching out to local schools to connect students with the clinic. Wood said the mission is personal.
"I was one of those kids. My parents were low-income, farm workers in another state. They couldn't afford vision care until I was in school. So I understand the plight of the families and the students," Wood said.
Wood said the program removes a financial burden that many families face when it comes to vision care.
"That money, that two or three or $400 that they don't even have, that's probably paying their food or their rent, they don't have to worry about, oh, I couldn't take care of you and feel bad. And so we know everybody wins with this," Wood said.
For Arvin High School freshman Joel Meza, the new glasses were a significant change.
"I could see a lot better, especially on my right. Luckily, my left diet was already very good, but my left eye was just a problem," Meza said.
Meza said he is eager to share the moment with his family.
"This feels very nice to have glasses and I'm going to show how my mom how my glasses look," Meza said.
The clinic will continue throughout the week.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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