On the first Sunday that she held her free vision screening event, Dr. Munsa Rana made an important discovery. The optometrist at EYEOLOGY in Brampton had a truck driver come in for “Seva Sunday,” a new free clinic that offers eye checkups and medical guidance for residents. The driver complained that he couldn’t see well. When Rana took a closer look, she told him that he had a massive traumatic cataract, likely stemming from an incident in his youth. He needed to see a specialist right away.
“It was so rewarding,” Rana said, of her first Seva Sunday event. “I ended up crying because two patients cried.” Seva Sunday offers not only free eye exams but health care advice from medical professionals volunteering at the clinic, who can help make connections between eye care and a variety of other health issues. Rana is hoping to help serve new immigrants, refugees and countless other residents who may face obstacles to receiving care.
“I’m a child of an immigrant; this community has given me everything,” she said. “It’s my time to give back.” She plans to work with settlement agencies to connect new residents to the event and has volunteers who can speak Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Spanish and Arabic. The services are completely free; neither OHIP nor health insurance are collected. She said that with many diabetics in the area, this service is especially important to help raise awareness about the connections between high blood sugar and eye health. “A lot of patients don’t tie the connection,” she said, explaining that when someone’s blood sugar spikes, it can lead to bleeding and swelling in the eye. Rana is also looking for other health care professionals who may be able to donate their time and offer advice.
“This is purely education,” she said. “We just want to do good.” EYEOLOGY is located at 1098 Peter Robertson Blvd., near Brampton Civic Hospital. Seva Sundays runs on the first Sunday of every month, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Those interested in attending or volunteering are asked to call 905-230-3937 or email info@eyeology.com.