150 residents get free glasses through pop-up vision clinic

On July 18, 150 Leisure World residents picked up new pairs of prescription glasses at no cost, thanks to a mobile vision clinic organized by Lestonnac Free Clinic and Orange County Supervisor Janet Nguyen.

Organizers originally planned to make the glasses on site and set a 30-person limit, but the clinic was massively popular among residents, who quickly filled the RSVP list after seeing the story in the newspaper.

With a lengthy waiting list, organizers decided to increase capacity by making the glasses off-site. This enabled the clinic to conduct 150 eye exams at the June 28 event.

The glasses, which were wrapped in paper information sheets, covered the entire surface of an 8-foot table set up in the Clubhouse 6 Hospitality Center.

All morning, residents flowed in and out of the clubhouse, excitedly opening the fabric pouches to try on their new frames. The clinic offered reading glasses, distance glasses and sunglasses in a variety of frame styles.

Mutual 1 resident Anne Calvo (l, standing) looks through glasses to find the correct pair for a resident.

Katya Lukina

Some residents got multiple pairs of glasses.

Emma DiMaggio