OUR STORY
For several years, the Winnipeg School Division’s Read2Me Program had been searching for a mobile vision care clinic within schools to address the imminent vision needs of students in participating schools and the time consuming efforts they were making to access vision care at local optometric clinics. Until November 2016, however, all attempts to do so were unsuccessful. In fact, the team was told that no such service existed in the province of Manitoba nor was it possible.
In September of 2017, the Winnipeg School Division partnered alongside the Mobile Vision Care Clinic to address the vision care needs of their students and to create a solution where none previously existed by offering a comprehensive vision care program including on-site eye exams and prescription eyeglasses where required for all of the division’s students.
Today, the Mobile Vision Care Clinic continues to strive to ensure that all Manitobans have access to vision care through relationships with these amazing partners:
- Winnipeg School Division
- Louis Riel School Division
- Mount Carmel Clinic
- Nor-West Community Co-Op
- Manitoba Metis Federation
Mobile Vision Care Clinic Values
Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 Honouree
Sean Sylvestre is a community builder and social entrepreneur. He graduated from River College’s Business Administration Program in 2003. Immediately, after college, Sean became a licensed optician and joined his family’s optical business where he was instrumental in the company’s growth and eventual sale to a local group of Optometrists in 2008. Moving forward, Sean hopes to expand the program with the goal of eliminating poor vision as a barrier to education for all students across Canada.
When COVID hit, I was ready to retire. I was burnt out and disillusioned with my profession. Sean Sylvestre of the Mobile Vision Care Clinic approached me three times with an opportunity to practice in schools. I told him “no” twice thinking it would be too difficult to practice in a school. I was wrong. Schools are the best place to provide routine eye exams for children. Schools are a safe, familiar environment. Teachers care about their students and are a tremendous resource for me as they almost always know when a child is not performing to their full potential. During testing I have witnessed children help their classmates who feel a little apprehensive find the courage to get examined. Once the children have received their glasses teachers have told me their classrooms are now quieter because the disruptive children can see. They’ve also said that the really shy children who couldn’t see now have more outgoing personalities. Hauling optometry equipment in and out of a school isn’t the most glamourous part of my day, but, providing eyecare to children with limited or no access to eyecare has now become my calling. I’ve found my passion for Optometry again.