Glasses, though a simple invention, have changed the world. Clear eyesight can be the difference between a life of struggle and one of success. For Hope Alliance, the promise of a clearer future is not just a concept, it is a reality through awareness, quality eye care, compassion and community.
Hope Alliance Vision Center in Park City began as a full-service health center in 1998 but since 2017 has focused exclusively on vision care. At their free clinics located inside the People’s Health Clinic in Park City and inside the Moab Free Health Clinic in Moab, they offer full vision exams by a licensed optometrist, prescription eyeglasses and diagnosis of eye disease. Hope Alliance’s work also extends internationally to Guatemala, Uganda, Mexico and Tanzania, with a permanent practice currently being established in Bwindi, Uganda.
Worldwide, one in seven people lacks access to eyecare, and as a largely invisible disability, those struggling can go unnoticed. Hope Alliance is dedicated to raising awareness and improving access to this essential service. The ability or inability to see can significantly affect the trajectory of a person’s life. Poor sight can create barriers to education, limit career opportunities and hinder the development of social skills and relationships.
“Our particular service to humanity is an intersection of so many important social services, all with one service. One thing, vision, affects so much,” says Executive Director Diane Bernhardt.
Despite the nonprofit’s global reach, the need for vision care is just as critical at home. In Park City, a resort town with a workforce that is often lower-income, part-time or seasonal, many lack access to optical care or medical insurance. “Park City would not exist without our workforce, so we have to take care of them,” says Stacey Lipton, associate executive director of Hope Alliance.
“There really is a lot of need here,” confirms Bernhardt, who has many inspiring and tear-jerking stories of the organization’s impact. Anecdotes of kindergarteners marveling at the clinic’s now-clear mountain view before the pivotal start of their education journey and wives seeing their husbands’ faces after years of impaired sight quickly demonstrate that unencumbered vision is undeniably life-changing. “Watching someone see for the first time, who spent their whole life not seeing, is a very profound experience,” she says.
The group is continuously working toward a more permanent presence in Utah and abroad, recognizing the need for sustained care as lenses break and prescriptions change. But the impact they create doesn’t happen overnight. It requires a community of devoted individuals, specialized equipment, trained volunteers, appointment coordination and financial support. While funding remains the biggest hurdle, volunteering is another powerful way to contribute to their mission.
“When you have the opportunity to work directly with a patient who is being outfitted with a pair of glasses for the very first time, it’s an incredible experience for the patient and for the volunteers,” says Corrie Forsling, chair of the Hope Alliance Board of Directors. “That look in their eyes and on their faces and the experience of seeing more clearly for the first time really opens up the world; it’s very impactful for everyone involved.”
If one thing is 20/20, it’s that Hope Alliance helps people see a brighter future — both literally and figuratively. The organization will host its annual fundraising gala, Night Vision, at the Weedon Barn in Park City on August 23. To purchase tickets visit this link and to donate money and volunteer time, visit thehopealliance.org.
