Columbia Vision Screening Program for NYCHA Residents

Residents of Lincoln Houses and St. Nicholas Houses age 60 and over are eligible to participate in a free, on-site vision screening and eye exam program as part of a study by researchers from Columbia University’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons Department of Ophthalmology.

Through the study, more than 500 NYCHA residents will receive vision screenings at their developments. The goal is to prevent vision loss and improve eye health for the city’s low-income and vulnerable communities and determine if on-site vision screening improves the detection of vision impairment and eye diseases.

“Many people are not getting their annual eye exams that doctors recommend, so this is a great opportunity for NYCHA residents to get their eye exams where they live at no cost,” said Dr. Lisa Hark, Professor at Columbia University, who designed the study to make eye exams more convenient.

Members of the Columbia vision screening team visit the participating developments to examine residents for vision impairments, cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration. The screening is repeated one year later. Residents with vision impairments may also receive prescriptions for free eyeglasses and additional follow-up exams.

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Vision screening for 300 residents of Polo Grounds Towers, Rangel Houses, and Drew-Hamilton Houses was recently completed, and the program will follow up with those residents in a year. Screenings will be done at St. Nicholas Houses in December and January and at Lincoln Houses in the spring. 

If you are a resident of Lincoln Houses or St. Nicholas Houses who is 60 or older, you are eligible to participate. Call 325-241-9369 for more information. Additional information about the program can be found here.