Mark E. Wilkinson, O.D.
Director, Low Vision Rehabilitation Service
UI Center for Macular Degeneration, UI Hospitals and Clinics

Dr. Mark E. Wilkinson, the director of the Low Vision Rehabilitation Service, a program of the Center for Macular Degeneration in UI Hospitals and Clinics, sees the impact of private support daily. And because of that support, the individuals who benefit from the program's services can see everything more clearly.

"Our program provides a full continuum of services -- medical, physical, psychological, and social -- to help individuals with impaired visual functioning lead more productive, satisfying lives," Dr. Wilkinson says.

"The range of devices we offer runs the gamut, too," he says, "from special reading glasses to magnifiers and telescopes to video magnification devices."

Of course, such devices can be expensive to acquire, and health insurance generally does not provide coverage for them. Fortunately, private gifts help bridge the gap, allowing this innovative program of UI Hospitals and Clinics to better serve the residents of Iowa and the region.

"We couldn't be more grateful for the generosity of those who help us in our mission," Dr. Wilkinson says. " Because of them, we are able to empower people to live life to the fullest."

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