Home › Island News › Local News
Rachel Klein: Vision is her mission
In the eyes of a child, the future is always full of promise
More Local News 
Share and Enjoy 
One child out of every twenty in the United States, between the ages of three and five, has an eye problem. Undetected, these often correctable conditions can lead to trouble in school and throughout life. Many parents are simply unaware of the symptoms or the help that is available.
The terms alone are daunting: strabismus, amblyopia, retinitis pigmentosa, juvenile macular degeneration and many more. Fortunately, most people never need to get acquainted with these names.
Islander Rachel Klein suffered a childhood illness which caused her to have double vision. Because of improper surgical techniques used on her eyes, she has continued to have the condition throughout her life.
She never let it slow her down though!. After high school in Connecticut, she moved to Washington, D.C. and went to work for the Navy Department during World War II. She then enlisted in the Navy in 1944 and served two years until her double vision led to a medical discharge.
Enter Dr. Walter Lancaster of Harvard University, a world-famous specialist in eye problems like hers. He did what he could to correct Rachel’s vision and then encouraged her to get involved helping others. It was all the urging Rachel needed.
She used her GI Bill* to study orthoptics in Boston at the only school which offered the course at the time. Orthoptics is a branch of the ophthalmic field pertaining specifically to evaluation and treatment of patients with visual disorders, with an emphasis on defective eye movements and lack of binocular vision. Orthoptists are uniquely skilled in diagnostic techniques.
Rachel interned at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear center. Then, armed with her brand new diploma and board-certified, she began practicing at Yale University in 1952. At the time, she was the only orthoptist in Connecticut. Consequently she became the “traveling lady” who worked with a variety of doctors statewide.
Rachel continued her work in several states, also raising money for education in the field of visual training, so that parents could recognize eye problems in their young children. In 1988, she established a perpetual endowment and foundation at Duke University for research and education in this area.
Along with many other honors, she has been given the prestigious “Seed Sower” award from Duke for her tireless efforts in this regard.
Meet Rachel today and she will overwhelm you with her ideas and plans to make this area into “Marco Eye-land” by insuring that each and every child in Marco Island receives a visual examination before starting school. She’s excited about the fact that the city of Marco Island became the first in Florida to require visual screening for children. She has enlisted the professional help of Dr. Michael Madison for free screening of pre-schoolers here (Call him at 394-3068 for an appointment.)
The Lions of Florida and the Ronald MacDonald organization also contribute to this effort. In 1996 our state joined the national movement called Prevent Blindness America by adopting a Prevent Blindness Florida program with headquarters in Tampa, and Rachel now partners with them in their work.
Her ideas never stop. She envisions a local treatment/rehab center for children and people of all ages with vision problems. If she could add treatment for hearing problems to this effort, she would call it the House of Sight and Sound.
Grandiose dreams? Not for Rachel, who has been working to this end for most of her life. Like all dedicated people and in spite of her own double vision, Rachel has only one single vision when it comes to helping children and others. She’s looking for those who “see eye to eye” with her objectives.
----
CRUISE FOR SIGHT
On Feb. 24, you can treat yourself to a good time and help a worthy cause. The Marco Princess will sail at 4 p.m. for a cocktail cruise featuring Frankie Ray and Mary Ellen as entertainment, and there will be hors d’oeuvres and refreshments as well. Tickets are only $50 and the proceeds will go to vision screening for local children and better education for parents of those with eye problems. For more information, call Rachel Klein at 642-6657. Tickets are available at the Chamber of Commerce or by calling Rachel.
Comments
This site does not necessarily agree with comments posted below — responsibility lies with the relevant reader alone. Read our privacy policy & user agreement.
Post your comment
(Requires free registration.)