An eye clinic is maintained by the Department of Medical Inspection at
the Brownell School. This clinic is open every afternoon during the
school year. The method of procedure is as follows: During the routine
physical examinations of children by the doctors in the different
schools, the vision is tested and, if found defective, the parents are
advised of it by note. The nurse then follows up the case and if she
finds that the parents are unable to pay for an examination by an
oculist, she takes the child to the school clinic, after having
obtained the written consent of the parent. There the child is given a
thorough and accurate examination, the eyes being first dilated with
homatropin and the error of refraction determined by means of the
retinoscope. The proper glasses are ordered for the child and in a few
days he is brought back to the clinic and the frames carefully
adjusted. The nurse then keeps in touch with the case, seeing to it
that the child wears the glasses, that the frames are straight, and
that the symptoms of which the child complained are relieved.
[Illustration: The eye clinic is advertised by its loving friends.]
Many parents are unable to pay an oculist's fee but are able and
willing to pay a small amount for glasses and in these cases a nominal
charge is made for them. Experience has shown that if a charge, no
matter how small, is made for the glasses better care is taken of them
and better results are obtained. In some cases there has been
opposition on the part of the parents to the child's wearing glasses,
but usually the nurse has been able to prove to them the necessity and
has obtained their consent.
During the school year 1914-15, the total number of dispensary visits
was 1,913. In 665 cases the eyes were refracted and in 500 cases
glasses were furnished. In about 75 per cent of the cases the
children's symptoms are relieved and their scholarship is improved. In
about 10 per cent of the cases the symptoms are not relieved. About
five per cent of the children refuse to wear the glasses. The
remaining 10 per cent of the children cannot be located because they
have moved from the city or been transferred to private schools. The
value of the work of the eye clinic is beyond question.
There are no other clinics in connection with the Cleveland public
school system. Mental examinations are made by a special teacher
appointed for that purpose. All surgical cases are referred to family
physicians or local hospitals for treatment.