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Medical Center - University of Freiburg offered free eye examinations in refugee accommodation / Cooperation with the City of Freiburg / 41 children received preventive eye examinations

Many children do not realize when they have poor eyesight or cannot properly express their vision problems. A team from the Medical Center - University of Freiburg therefore offered free eye examinations to children in a refugee shelter in Freiburg at the end of May. Many Ukrainian children were among them. "Preventive care is particularly important for children, as their eyesight is still developing," says Prof. Dr. Thomas Reinhard, Medical Director of the Medical Center - University of Freiburg's Department of Ophthalmology. "We are delighted that the offer was so well received." The team examined a total of 41 children between the ages of two and 16.

In cooperation with the City of Freiburg, the Medical Center - University of Freiburg organized the afternoon of examinations on 25 May 2022. The so-called eye bus - a mobile and ultra-modern ophthalmology practice - was used. Thanks to its state-of-the-art equipment, PD Dr. Michael Reich, Senior Physician at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg's Department of Ophthalmology, and his team were able to carry out a wide range of examinations. Among other things, the children's visual acuity and spatial vision were tested and it was checked whether they needed glasses. The physicians also examined the general condition of the eye, including the optic nerve. Any abnormalities were followed by further tests, such as a squint examination or retinal imaging. "On the whole, the children's eye health was very good and they all cooperated really well," says Reich.

One of the children examined needed glasses for the first time, while another child's glasses were damaged during their flight from Ukraine. The two young patients are now being supported by an optician's store in Freiburg in obtaining a new model. Two children showed significantly reduced vision during the eye test and were further examined on June 15, 2022 in the outpatient clinic of the Eye Center at the University Hospital.

Captions

Image 1: The team from the Medical Center - University of Freiburg visited the refugee accommodation with the well-equipped eye bus.

Image 2: Visual acuity, eye health and eye position of the children are examined by PD Dr. Michael Reich (right) and his team.

Image source: Medical Center - University of Freiburg

Contact:
Prof. Dr. Thomas Reinhard
Medical Director
Eye Center
Medical Center - University of Freiburg
Phone 0761 270-40060
thomas.reinhard@uniklinik-freiburg.de