Ophthalmologist Rebecca Dale and technician Sarah Field from Snoqualmie Valley Eyecare Associates, helped provide eye care at Seattle’s Key Arena Saturday, Oct. 25, at an event organized by Remote Area Medical Volunteer Corps, or RAM.

Many people live in fear of sickness and injury because they have little to no access to basic medical care, said Dale. RAM helps by providing free quality dental, vision and medical care to those who cannot afford it. In less than 24 hours, RAM turns fairgrounds, schools and arenas into mobile medical centers.

At Key Arena, volunteers provided eye exams and eyeglasses to people who needed them that day. RAM organizers had set up referral relationships with area clinics, so that patients with eye issues who needed additional follow-up could get additional care.  The process was very efficient, Dale said.

“On the day that I volunteered, Sarah checked the eye pressure of more than 300 patients and the group of eye doctors in the room I was in (about four to five doctors) were able to complete an exam approximately every 10 minutes,” Dale commented.

Learn more about Remote Area Medical at www.ramusa.org.

Field is pictured, above, standing, helping a RAM patient. Below, Dale, sitting, assists a client.