AZCOPT Students Provide Free Eye Care for Resettling Refugees
Optometry students and members of SVOSH assisted VOSH in giving eyecare to about 185 refugees from Afghanistan, Latin America, Ukraine, and several parts of Africa.
- AZ - Glendale
Top row left to right: Ben Malmanger (AZCOPT ’26), Cenza Alfaro (AZCOPT ’26), Nathan Coy (AZCOPT ’25), Josh Huynh (AZCOPT ’25), Ian Ostler (AZCOPT ’25), Harshpreet Ballagan (AZCOPT ’25). Bottom row left to right: Nieves Solis (AZCOPT ’25), Aracelis Aguiar (AZCOPT ’26), Emily Hansen (AZCOPT ’26), Grace Petrykowski (AZCOPT ’26), Allison Lewandowski (AZCOPT ’26), Rachel Piña (AZCOPT ’26).
About a dozen Midwestern University students from the Arizona College of Optometry (AZCOPT) and members of the University chapter of Student Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (SVOSH) assisted close to 185 refugees from Afghanistan, Latin America, Ukraine, and several parts of Africa with their eye care last fall. The students were joined by six optometrists and two opticians from the Arizona chapter of Volunteer Optometric Services to Humanity (VOSH) to provide full, comprehensive eye exams and sunglasses as well as eyeglasses. The optometry team also checked their new patients for several conditions including glaucoma, and offered referrals for eye surgery if needed.
An important part of the entire process was addressing language barriers. Six language translators assisted the team to help communicate in Arabic, Dari, French, Russian, and Ukrainian, and online flyers were made available in Arabic, Dari, English, Pashto, Spanish, Swahili, and Ukrainian.
Optometry student and president of the University chapter of SVOSH Nieves Solis (AZCOPT ’25) was very moved by the experience: “I feel like the refugees are so appreciative,” she shared. “This gave me a different outlook on optometric care. As a student, you get caught up in classes and how repetitive things can be. With this kind of patient care opportunity, you remember why you’re doing this, to take care of people. Some patients never had an eye exam. They were extremely grateful. There were also patients that were apprehensive because they didn’t understand dilation drops or the machines they were sitting in.” Nieves added, “Events like this are definitely the reason I want to be a healthcare professional. After I graduate, I want to be a part of VOSH on the state and international level. I learn these skills for the greater good. Just because someone can’t afford eye care, it doesn’t mean they don't need care. When refugees come here, I want to make them feel welcome. It might just be an eye exam, but it’s a nice gesture and it can really help them in the long run.” She also said one of the biggest reasons she chose to study at Midwestern University was the SVOSH program.
“It’s very important that Midwestern University makes even more of an effort to do events like this. It’s a good opportunity for the students to learn more. Once they graduate, The University is putting good doctors into the world with real life experience with other people and cultures. This is something the University should be proud of,” Nieves said.
Nieves also encourages fellow students to participate. “You can really make a huge difference in one day. You further your knowledge and it is very enriching for sure.”
Assisting refugees with eye care is one of many opportunities at Midwestern University for community service, which is central to the values held at the University. Midwestern University offers Doctor of Optometry degree programs in Downers Grove and Glendale.
