Our Vision Suite Is a Vision Realized!

We are thrilled to announce that thanks to a community-wide effort, our Vision Suite is complete and we will welcome our first patients starting November 16! At our Open House earlier this week we made it official with a ribbon cutting. Volunteer Ophthalmologist Dr. George Patterson did the honors.

(L-R) Clinic Director Maria Obeid, Volunteer Ophthalmologist Dr. George Patterson, Board of Director President Philip Elliot, Executive Director Lynette Sappe-Watkins applaud the ribbon cutting of Culmore Clinic’s Vision Suite at the 2023 Open House. (Chris Ferenzi Photography)

As Lynette Sappe Watkins, our Executive Director, said in her Open House speech, “A Vision Suite is something that free and charitable clinics like ours only dream of.” This dream, which is now a reality, all started when three generous community eye doctors approached The Clinic with an idea.

Ophthalmologists Dr. George Patterson, MD and Dr. Sarah Merrill, MD together with optometrist Dr. Bill Baer, OD reached out to Culmore Clinic, inquiring about volunteer opportunities. At the time we did not have the equipment to provide eye care so they kindly supplied us with a wish list and said if we can collect this equipment, we can provide vision care.

As is so often the case with our community, when we ask for help, they come running. So with the power of a few phone calls and emails, the vision care community came together to collect all the equipment and items needed from the list. A huge thanks to the following people, organizations, and businesses instrumental in this feat:

Bailey's Crossroads Lions Club

Falls Church/Annandale Lions Club

Caren Forsten
Prevention of Blindness Society of Metropolitan Washington

Don Johnson
Capital Vision Services

Foundation Fighting Blindness

Ashley Larson
Capital Vision Services

The Lions Club Bailey’s Crossroads

The Lions Club Falls Church-Annandale

The Lions Vision International Eye Foundation

Davida Luehrs

VLEIF (Virginia Lions Eye Institute Foundation)

Ed “Woody” Woodard

Dr. Hannah Yecheskel
All Eyes On Rockville

This vision became a reality thanks to all of these people who had the generosity of spirit to use their skills and connections so that our patients can receive vision care. We are incredibly grateful to everyone involved.