JOHNSTON, IOWA (June 27, 2025) — On June 19-20, Delta Dental of Iowa and its Foundation in partnership with OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation, Community Health Center of Fort Dodge and Prevent Blindness Iowa offered free comprehensive eye exams to 386 Fort Dodge area children and adults, of which 348 were provided with no-cost eye glasses many of which were manufactured the same day, onsite. Twenty-seven patients were referred to vision specialists for additional follow-up care.
This was the fifth year Delta Dental has offered the free vision clinic in Iowa and the first year held in Fort Dodge at Butler Elementary School. Working with nearly eighty volunteers engaged including optometrists, opticians, and other skilled and general volunteers, the clinic addressed unresolved vision needs for adults and children. The clinic leveraged the OneSight clinic model and manufacturing process so many individuals needing eyeglasses were able to receive them the same day.
According to OneSight, more than twelve million adults in the United States aged forty and older suffer from vision impairment. Lack of access to vision care is comprised of three main gaps: Lack of affordability, lack of awareness, and lack of physical access.
“We’re honored to bring this free vision clinic to Fort Dodge for the first time, helping to remove barriers to essential eye care,” said April Schmaltz, president and CEO of Delta Dental of Iowa. “These vision clinics reflect our commitment to improving the health and lives of Iowans. We know we’re not only helping someone to see more clearly, but we’re helping them to open a new world of possibilities. We’re grateful to our volunteers and partners whose generosity and hard work made this event possible for hundreds of north central Iowa residents.”
“This clinic was simply amazing and through this collaboration, we were able to provide an essential service for members of our community. Many of those served were accessing vision care for the very first time or for the first time in many years,” said Regina Suhrbier, outreach coordinator for Community Health Center of Fort Dodge. “Seeing so many in high need and knowing they have now received care is very fulfilling and a reminder of why our community health center is here to provide access to such critical health services, including vision care.”
The Community Health Center of Fort Dodge recently began providing vision-care services and community members are encouraged to utilize these services for future vision care needs: chcfd.com/optical/ or call 515-576-6500.
The vision clinic hosted in partnership with the Community Health Center of Fort Dodge is an example of how Delta Dental is investing in local communities to improve lives through expanded access to dental, vision, and overall health-care.
For more information, visit deltadentalia.com/visionclinic.
About Delta Dental of Iowa
Delta Dental of Iowa, a not-for-profit health and wellness company, provides dental and vision benefits to more than 1.6 million Iowans. Locally-focused and nationally-networked, Delta Dental of Iowa and its Foundation invest in robust community systems and partnerships. These efforts empower and engage all Iowans to have optimal oral, vision, and overall health. Since 2002, Delta Dental has invested more than $73 million to improve the oral and overall health of Iowans.
Delta Dental of Iowa is a member of the Delta Dental Plans Association, the leading national network of independent dental-service corporations. The Delta Dental member companies provide dental benefits to more than 89 million Americans in more than 166,000 employee groups throughout the country. For more information, visit the website at deltadentalia.com.
About OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation
The North America affiliate of the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, registered in the United States. This regional affiliate supports the goals of the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation (formerly Essilor Social Impact), a French-registered charitable organization (endowment fund) reflecting the commitment and values of EssilorLuxottica to contribute to eliminating uncorrected poor vision in a generation. It was rebranded in 2022 to bring together EssilorLuxottica’s philanthropic, advocacy actions, and investments, including: Vision for Life, Essilor Vision Foundations in North America, India, Southeast Asia, and China, Fondazione Salmoiraghi and Viganò in Italy as well as the Company’s long term global partners OneSight and the Vision Impact Institute. It is headquartered at 147 rue de Paris, 94220 Charenton-Le-Pont, France. onesight.essilorluxottica.com/.
About the Community Health Center of Fort Dodge
The Community Health Center of Fort Dodge is a federally-qualified health center that provides medical, dental, and behavioral health services. Their services are available to patients regardless of insurance status. They accept Medicare, Medicaid, most major insurance plans, and they offer a sliding fee for those who qualify.
