All LCCVI programs are designed to ensure that every resident of Licking County has the opportunity to live with the best vision possible regardless of their ability to pay. Clients are grouped according to age. LCCVI's Senior Program is for those who are 60 or over. This group requires many eye care procedures involving visual changes due to the aging process. The program for adults and childre
n serves the highest number of clients with the broadest range of visual impairments. This is the Non-Senior Program for adults, 18 - 59 & children, birth to 17. The Low Vision Aids Program serves all county residents who need help beyond their glasses. The services within these three programs include intake, professional eye care exam & glasses, follow up, counseling, assessment, and low vision aid training and installation. LCCVI offers referrals to other agencies such as food pantries, financial couseling, dental care, and more. The Licking County Center for the Visually Impaired was established in 1982 by Ron Lesko. Lesko knew personally the difficulties of being visually impaired. He was sensitive to the disadvantaged residents of the county who were also visually impaired. He began efforts to establish a non profit agency that would make arrangements and pay professional eye care services for those who could not afford it. Working first with local Lions Clubs and then other service organizations, Ron and his team were able to establish arrangements with local professional eye care centers to begin providing services at no charge to those residents of Licking County who live at or below the poverty level. By 9/14/1987 LCCVI was recognized as exempt from Federal income tax under section 501 (c) (3). Today LCCVI collaborates with 7 professional eye care centers throughout the county and receives funding from 3 major nonprofit agencies as well as private donations, fund raisers, and service organizations. Over 500 people were served in 2013. The number of people receiving eye exams, prescription eye glasses, and/or low vision aids as of July 2014 is 318. Low vision aids are cost free those who require more help than their glasses can give them. These aids include, but are not limited to: magnification devices, closed circuit televisions, "talking" mechanisms, and touch sensory aids. LCCVI is the only agency in all of Licking County to provide professional eye care services at no cost to those qualified residents.
