A Transformation Waco program to provide Waco ISD students with access to free eye exams and glasses is serving twice the number of patients this school year thanks to a new optometrist. Dr. Hermineh Moradi started at the Bernard and Audre Rapoport Vision Center on Halloween and sees 10 to 12 students weekly on Tuesdays.
“Our goal here is to reach as many children as possible,” said Dr. Moradi. “My job is to discover if something is going on in the early years with a child’s vision or ocular health and to intervene and help that child have the best outcome. Learning and development slow down for children who don’t have good eyesight, and that’s why the visual system is so important. It is such a primary sense when it comes to our learning process. I focus on the health of the whole visual system, examining vision and eye health in the front and back of the eyes. If needed, we provide glasses at no cost to families.”
Teachers, school nurses, students, or parents who notice signs of poor vision can refer students to the clinic at the Greater Waco Advanced Health Care Academy. A $65,000 grant from the Bernard and Audre Rapoport Foundation helped establish the on-site optometry clinic in October 2019, covering equipment, initial supplies and operational expenses. Transformation Waco funds and operates the clinic, which, following its reopening after COVID-19 in 2021, has provided 414 exams and access to 386 pairs of glasses. Thanks to the continued generosity of the Essilor Foundation, glasses are fully paid for.
Dr. Moradi graduated from the Southern California College of Optometry in 2006 and specializes in pediatric optometry, seeing children six months and up. Until recently, the clinic could not serve students under six; Dr. Moradi fills that gap by providing exams to students as young as preschoolers.
“It’s a unique age group many doctors don’t do routine eye exams with. Children’s eyes don’t fully develop until age five or six. So that’s where I jump in and ensure their eyes are growing properly, their eye development is where it should be, and they are hitting those milestones in those early years. The Vision Center is special to me because it allows me to work with the age group I’m passionate about,” she said.
Students have exams during school hours, and a clinic assistant drives students to all appointments. School nurses conduct initial vision screenings for signs of poor vision, including squinting, needing to get very close or hold something close to see, losing one’s place while reading, headaches after reading or close-up work, complaining of double vision, or tilting head to see.
“The Vision Center is one of our strongest wraparound services and helps ensure every student has the tools they need to succeed, starting with clear vision,” said Dr. Robin McDurham, Transformation Waco Chief Executive Officer. “Dr. Moradi is a welcome addition to the clinic and is already expanding the number of students receiving exams. She shares our commitment to our community’s well-being, especially Transformation Waco’s vision to ensure financial constraints never hinder a child’s access to healthcare.”
Transformation Waco and Waco ISD are hosting a community Meet-the-Doctor event at the Vision Center on Tuesday, February 13, from 3-5 p.m., a casual, come-and-go event with brief remarks at 4 p.m.