Eye Health Importance with Dr. Pat Segu
Hey, it's your eye health experts, Prevent Blindness Texas, and welcome to Eyespiring, a conversation about all things vision and life. Hello, and welcome to Eyespiring with Prevent Blindness Texas. We are inspiring a brighter vision and I'm your host Heather Patrick, the CEO of Prevent Blindness Texas. For almost seventy years, PBT has provided critical vision care to Texas' most vulnerable citizens by providing early detection screening services, eye health education, navigation services, and financial resources for exams, glasses, and other treatment needs. We focus on vulnerable and underserved populations most at risk for possible vision problems.
Heather Patrick:Last year we served over 50,000 individuals and educated more than 80,000 people. We work to build strong continuous care in each community we serve so that all children and adults have improved equity to access quality care. We know that vision critically impacts learning and development, mobility, independence, and health. We advocate for the necessary attention and solutions to issues surrounding the aging eye. And we define success when all individuals who need eye care receive it.
Heather Patrick:Our work improves the health and quality of life for thousands of individuals across the state. PBT is focused on advocating for improved health equity, empowering children, adults, seniors to experience life at the highest level, and improving overall health including physical and mental health by preventing vision loss and addressing eye health issues across the entire health spectrum. I'm Heather Patrick. I've been a healthcare advocate for twenty plus years because I believe everyone should be able to access quality vision and healthcare in a timely manner. That's why this matters so much to me.
Heather Patrick:Today we are excited to welcome Doctor. Pat Segu to I Spiring. Doctor. Segu graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and Cell Science. She continued her education at the University of Houston, Go Cougs, College of Optometry receiving a doctorate degree.
Heather Patrick:Doctor. Segu completed a residency in hospital based optometry at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington and holds a therapeutic license in the state of Texas with glaucoma privileges. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Optometry and a diplomat of the American Board of Optometry and a member of the Texas Optometric Association and American Optometric Association. She's pretty amazing. Doctor.
Heather Patrick:Segu holds several leadership positions and continues to be actively involved in several professional and non profit which is how I met Doctor. Segu because she was involved with PBT when I got here. Lastly, she is currently a clinical professor, the Director of Clinical Teaching Fellowship Program, Clinic Director for the University of Houston College of Optometry, and works in collaboration with C2Succeed. Doctor. Segu, we'd love to hear about you and tell us some of the most important things, milestones that have happened in your career.
Dr. Pat Segu:Well Heather, thank you for inviting me to be here today. I'm really excited to talk to you today and share my thoughts and my ideas. Well, looking back at my career, one milestone or one thing that really does stand out is when I was an undergrad at the University of Florida. During my junior year of my undergraduate degree, I attended a summer program at Indiana University and that was sponsored by the College of Optometry. It was a health professional course for minority students.
Dr. Pat Segu:We covered all different perspectives of health professions, medical, nursing, physical therapists, optometry as well, and that was my time and I got exposed to a lot of different venues or different professions within the healthcare space and after attending that summer program and after going through that six week program, I was pretty much focused on going to optometry school. I knew then that that's where I needed to be and that was going to be my career, and when I came back to University of Florida to finish off my senior year, I was already 100% engaged and that was where I was gonna go. I wasn't gonna go to medical school, it was optometry all the way. And what was it about optometry? What did I you fall in love fell in love with being able to be that primary eye care provider, being that provider for patients, and being that kind of gatekeeper and being able to navigate patients to tertiary and secondary care depending on their needs, but being that gatekeeper for those patients that needed resources and needed to be able to see but may have other eye diseases that needed further care and further treatment.
Heather Patrick:So you graduate, so you figure out optometry Is
Dr. Pat Segu:my thing. Yep, is your thing. So
Heather Patrick:then you go to U of H. Correct. And how was that experience, what was that like?
Dr. Pat Segu:I went to U of H, I graduated from University of Houston, it was a very strong, and it's still a strong, very clinical program, and at that time after graduating I wanted more. So I didn't stop there, I did a one year post graduate residency program in hospital based optometry, I kind of moved out of my comfort zone and I went to Tacoma, Washington at American Lake VA and did a one year, residency program in ocular disease and hospital based optometry.
Heather Patrick:So what did that teach you? I mean why was that important? What perspective did it give you?
Dr. Pat Segu:It allowed me to really realize that there was so much more that I needed to learn, so I think after graduating from optometry school I wanted to see more, see more patients, see different types of presentations of ocular disease, and I feel like that gave experience by doing that residency program, but it also allowed me to teach. So I was able to supervise fourth year students from a different optometry school that would rotate to the hospital, and at that point in time I realized I like to teach, And so by the time I was done with the program, I applied for a physician at University of Houston. And so I finished my residency and then I moved back. I started working for the college part time and later on went full time a year later. I've been there ever since.
Dr. Pat Segu:That's awesome. Okay, so what inspires you and why? I think what inspires me is being able to help, being able to be part of the solution, being able to help patients find the resources that they need to be able to see and be that person along the journey with them, to know that they're not alone in this and that there's someone always there to walk with them through their journey to be able to see, to be able to go through their treatments, the follow-up care that they need, so it's the passion, it's the love for my patients, it's the dedication. Who inspires you and why? So the person that inspires me looking back at my life would be my dad.
Dr. Pat Segu:My dad was an immigrant, he came to Canada, he left India and actually went to Germany with only $10 in his pocket, and then later on he moved to Canada and even though he was an engineer back home, he ended up working as a janitor at an engineering firm and eventually moved up, and through his hard work he was able to provide a life for us, educate all his three kids and be able to never give up, always worked really hard and never looked back and even if we had any type of hardships he always found a solution and I carry a lot of his traits within me.
Heather Patrick:Yes, you do. You definitely do. Why does serving the community matter so much to you?
Dr. Pat Segu:Because serving the community means about giving back. It's about being there and being present. It's about being the boots on the ground. It's about being that helping hand for those that don't have anything. It means so much and there's such a need and being a community doctor, we basically carry our heart on our sleeves.
Dr. Pat Segu:We are there, we are 100% engaged, we sit there, we listen to their stories, it's all those things.
Heather Patrick:Awesome. Okay, so when and how did you first connect with PBT?
Dr. Pat Segu:So for me connecting with PBT, it was early on, I would say in my professional career, I wanted to volunteer and so I actually started volunteering a lot when I first joined the University of Houston as a faculty member. I started volunteering, I wanted to give back, I wanted to be able to do more, so I volunteered for PBT, then later joined the Houston Board, and later on over time I circled back in my career and joined the State Board.
Heather Patrick:What impact do you think PBT has made in the community?
Dr. Pat Segu:PBT is, again, the boots on the ground. They are there day in and day out. They are the ones that are there to listen, they are the ones that screen, educate, navigate, and help close that gap to care. So it's part of the continuum of care. PBT has always been that for me, it's been that resource, and also being able to have that treatment fund to help those that don't have anything.
Heather Patrick:What was your experience? So you came
Dr. Pat Segu:and you joined the stage for an FN, you're a board chair. Exactly, I wonder why. Guilty. Guilty, yes.
Heather Patrick:So what was your experience like as board chair? So I
Dr. Pat Segu:think as board chair, I stepped out of my comfort zone. I didn't think I was ready, I had just joined the state board, then I ended up being chair of the board, and I feel like I learned a lot with having that opportunity, I was able to be part of a bigger solution, be able to think through things, be part of strategic planning, help the organization move forward, it taught me a lot but it also opened up a lot of doors And I realized a lot of strengths maybe that I didn't realize in myself. What did you see in me Heather? Because you're kinda guilty. Guilty as charged.
Dr. Pat Segu:I
Heather Patrick:mean for me, I saw your passion right away. Your commitment to the community, you know, being patient focused. And I think that really is a thread of PBT, right? Being client focused is so important for us. And I think in order to lead, you have to understand that and you do.
Heather Patrick:But also I just, even before you became chair, we had great conversations. And, you know, as a CEO, one of the most important things for me is, you know, that relationship with the And board we had such a great way of communicating and brainstorming and just the level of trust we had. And so being able to have those really innovative, sometimes challenging conversations of how do we really do this, right? I mean, it was not easy, the organization wise, really building itself back so we had a lot of challenges and I think just being able to have someone who really could see all the different perspectives and just being a great partner and I saw that in you.
Dr. Pat Segu:I loved, I I loved the time that I was board chair. I feel like, I said, we really definitely had to work together, we definitely had to have those hard conversations, but we also had to look at how do we rebuild PBT? And I definitely can say now PBT is growing, it's in a really good position, it's all across the state, but it's doing the work that needs to be done.
Heather Patrick:I mean when you came on, we were really in that phase of serving about fifteen, twenty, 25,000 people, now we're serving close to 60. That is a direct result of the planning that was put into place, the leadership that was there, all those conversations. And so looking back, that was a critical time for the organization. We definitely We had to pivot. We did, we had to pivot.
Heather Patrick:Right, yep, yep. So going through all of that, being board chair, what did you realize about your leadership style or what changed about your leadership style?
Dr. Pat Segu:I'd say what changed about my leadership style was I had to take a step back and realize that everyone has a voice at the table and making sure at our board meetings that everyone had a chance to speak, everyone was able to share their thoughts, but also building a team that was made up of different talents. So it was really making sure that we had perspectives from all types of talent so we could build a board that was holistic, that had different eyes looking at the problem, leveraging our knowledge, but being able to have open conversations in a constructive way. To be able to share our ideas and not leaving anyone out, and so making sure to be inclusive.
Heather Patrick:And do you think we achieve that?
Dr. Pat Segu:I definitely do. I think it continues to grow, but I definitely think we moved in that direction.
Heather Patrick:I would agree. Definitely agree. Okay. So I love this question.
Dr. Pat Segu:You do love this question.
Heather Patrick:What patient story stands out to you? And I know you have several so you can share them, but over the years what patients have left their mark on you and why?
Dr. Pat Segu:So there is different patient stories and there are a lot of different ones. I would say, most recently, a patient came into our clinic and patient was diabetic, was really trying to get eye care, needed the eye care, and finally made the appointment, finally was able to come in, and when the patient came in, the diabetic changes that we, saw were pretty much end stage, so they're basically hanging on to a piece of thread to see. They really had lost all their vision and they were 40 years old. Wow. It was in both eyes.
Dr. Pat Segu:So it was end stage diabetic changes. Now, looking back at this, what could have been different? You know, how could this changed? What could have been a different conversation when a patient was first diagnosed with diabetes, what was told, the importance of eye care, the importance of making sure, you know, that they get that routine care? You know, you walk in and you've already lost vision in both eyes and it's not repairable, You're 40 years old and you have a family to care for and it's in both eyes.
Dr. Pat Segu:That's heartbreaking. Where do we go from there? And how are they gonna survive? And then how are you gonna take care of your family? So that's a story that does definitely resonate and that's one of many cases where we see a lot of patients come in, but it's at the end when vision's already been damaged, and so, like I said, the conversation would be a lot different if things were done differently where changes were being monitored up front with the annual exams, comprehensive exams, to detect those early changes and to prevent it from progressing and getting worse.
Heather Patrick:Prevention. All the way.
Dr. Pat Segu:And being able to protect your eyes.
Heather Patrick:If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be and why?
Dr. Pat Segu:There are a lot of things I would want to change about the industry, but if you really want to focus on one thing, and I think this comes from working in the community and working with patients that don't have the resources that they need. I would say having a treatment fund, a fund that's a resource for patients that need the next level of care, maybe need the glaucoma medications and they only have one eye, they're monocular, and they're only, you know, and they have glaucoma or high eye pressure on the other eye and we need to manage that and not have those restrictions where, you know, they don't have the resources, so what is that next step? And being able to leverage different organizations for navigation of care.
Heather Patrick:So what are some prevention tips as we think about talking about treatment, and treatment is so incredibly important because we know thousands of patients don't have the money or the insurance to be able to get treatment, but before we ever get to treatment, what can we do from a preventative side of it to help us?
Dr. Pat Segu:So I think just the regular, routine comprehensive eye exams, I think that's key because oftentimes just because you see really well doesn't mean your eyes are healthy. You could have early changes happening in the back of your eyes, whether it's glaucoma, which is oftentimes silent, whether it's early macular degeneration, oftentimes early on you don't know those changes are happening in the back of the eyes and you're seeing really well, right? Or you could have a hole or a tear in the retina that might lead to a retinal detachment, but right now maybe you're not seeing the flashes of light or you're not seeing the floaters in your vision, but those changes are happening and so being preventative, early detection is key to protect your eyes. And I think just a comprehensive eye exam is essential. Oftentimes, you know, seeing well doesn't guarantee that your eyes are healthy.
Dr. Pat Segu:I mean, so I think just making sure that your eyes are healthy is the next step.
Heather Patrick:That's a key phrase right there.
Dr. Pat Segu:Key phrase?
Heather Patrick:Key phrase right there. What is one thing you recommend every patient do about their eye health?
Dr. Pat Segu:So it's really important to realize that eye health is part of overall health and we always talk about that. We always have those conversations, and I think oftentimes there's a disconnect that eye health is kind of kept separate, but eye health is part of overall health. Over 200 diseases can be detected through an eye exam.
Heather Patrick:That's incredible when you think about
Dr. Pat Segu:it, It is, no it is, it is, and oftentimes certain medications, if a patient's being treated for rheumatoid arthritis or patients on say medication like Plaquenil, those can cause changes too in the back of the eyes, but again, it's about eye health as part of overall health, so I think it's just important to make that connection, and I think oftentimes it's disconnected. So it's about being able to do the comprehensive exam, it's beyond glasses and contacts, it's about making sure the eyes are healthy.
Heather Patrick:So when you say comprehensive eye exam, what does that mean? Because probably the average person, I mean, doesn't know all that's entailed when you say a comprehensive eye exam. So what does that mean?
Dr. Pat Segu:So that would mean just making sure that the ability of the eyes to work together, also obviously see well, that's, you know, where the glasses and contacts come in, but it's also about the ability for their eyes to be able to work together, their ability to focus properly, the front surface of the eye, looking at the tear film, looking for dryness, as well as looking at the back of the eye, evaluating the eye nerve, looking at the macula, which is part of the eye responsible for your straight ahead vision, what we used to see twentytwenty with, looking at the retina, and just making sure all those different elements are working well and everything is healthy. So how do they look at
Heather Patrick:the back of the eye?
Dr. Pat Segu:So the best way to look at the back of the eye is to have a dilated fundus exam. So you can always look at the back of the eye without being dilated, but it's a very limited view, and oftentimes I tell patients it's like looking into a room with the door closed and looking through a keyhole. So you're kind of seeing what's inside the room, you don't see everything, and when we put the drops in your eyes, it's like opening the door to the room. We have a wider view of what's in the room and being able to see.
Heather Patrick:Where do you see eye health and vision care in five years?
Dr. Pat Segu:So in five years, I see that the need is going be more. Why? Because of the aging America, the aging population. I feel like patients are gonna suffer from more chronic illnesses. Patients now, the aging population now, they're not dying from catastrophe or illnesses, like sicknesses, they're dying from chronic diseases.
Dr. Pat Segu:So they're dying from complications from diabetes, they're dying from high blood pressure or cardiovascular issues, but these are chronic conditions that happen over time. And so because of that patients are living longer, I think we're gonna see more diabetic retinopathy cases. I feel like we're gonna have to be managing more patients with glaucoma, macular degeneration, other diseases and complications, medication related complications as well that can affect the eyes, but I do feel like in five years the need even gonna be greater, and prevention, like public health, is gonna be really important and does preventative messaging to the public about overall health, taking care of your eyes, protecting your eyes, all those things. And I feel like also having innovative solutions, innovative treatments, and leveraging AI in a way that can create algorithms to really look at populations in a different way and the needs of every population, and how do we help them. What are your thoughts?
Heather Patrick:I mean, think, I agree, AI is gonna I play a think we, so I go back and ask this question that we first discussed at the national level in November about what's inevitable, And it's inevitable AI is going to be a part of healthcare. It already is. I think for us, it's how do we shape it? How do we leverage it the best way we can to serve our patients and to understand what they really need and respond to that. I do agree with you.
Heather Patrick:I think the need is going to continue to increase. I think for me, I worry about will we have enough professionals in the space to respond? And I think education is always critical and I think there's some level of awareness out there but when I think about all the people that still really don't understand how important vision is as part of the overall health conversation. I think there's just so much we need to do to help people to understand why it's important to take action now and to get into that habit of taking care of their eyes on a regular basis because it does, they're so intertwined into everything we do and a lot of times I mean we can go to the doctor for one thing and they may or may not ask us about our eye health, right? But they should be.
Heather Patrick:We should be discussing it, you know, each time we're walking in and really talking about our overall health. So for me, I think when I think about the next five years, it's really how are we going to bridge that gap if we don't have enough professionals in the space? What does that really look like? How do we do that? Really just driving that bridge between, I think providers so that there's a better communication path, especially between primary care and eye doctors.
Heather Patrick:And so I think it really is just a large focus on patient voice, patient education, provider connection, and being able to be innovative. Because if we don't have enough professionals in the space, how do we still close that gap for care?
Dr. Pat Segu:Those are all really important things, but also being patient advocacy, patient centered care is another thing. I think that's really important. Oftentimes when I go to my primary care doctor, I don't even think they ask me, When was your last exam? Have you been checked? All those things, just that routine, again, it's eye health, it's part of overall health.
Dr. Pat Segu:How do we make that happen? And I think it's working alongside other professionals and leveraging, and having those conversations.
Heather Patrick:Agreed.
Dr. Pat Segu:And building those bridges, like you said. Agreed.
Heather Patrick:Yep. I agree. Alright. Okay. So what impact has PPT made on you personally and professionally?
Dr. Pat Segu:That's a really neat question, but I think PBT has always been something that I truly and dearly adore. I think it's an organization that really resonates with me because I believe in the mission, I believe in the work. I believe in what it means in our community and what it stands for. So all those things, I think it really resonates with my own personal values. The passion is there, within the organization, the work that they do and how many people they truly help.
Dr. Pat Segu:So I feel like PBT has been that resource and for those reasons I'm always like 100% dedicated, my time and my effort to be there whenever the organization still needs me, I'm always the ability to step up to the plate. Yes you are. And I feel like personally I've been able to give back in a different way and so I think that's a really good thing in a lot of different ways.
Heather Patrick:Well I will say, one of the things I love about this business, about this industry, and across the board, I've worked in different healthcare organizations, are the relationships that are built. And I think personally and professionally, the impact you've had on me has been amazing. Oh, wow. It has. I mean, we've learned a lot together.
Heather Patrick:Yes, we have. But when you think about all the conversations we've had, all the different creative, innovative solutions we've put forth or piloted. When I think about the data project we've worked on, I mean, we've just really have done some really cool But it is so rewarding to be in a space to have people you work with that become mentors and friends and that you do this work together because it's hard work. No, it's hard work. It is, know, there are great days and there are really challenging days, right?
Heather Patrick:The days that you have patients that you really don't know how you're gonna move them forward, right? But you know they need the care.
Dr. Pat Segu:Right.
Heather Patrick:Or they don't necessarily qualify for our resources because they may make $200 more than they're supposed to, Exactly. I mean, it's how do you solve those issues, right? Because at the end of the day, the goal is to just get people to care. But working with people that make that difference, that impact on you, that free you to be creative and just support you, right, whether you succeed or fail is invaluable and you're one of those people.
Dr. Pat Segu:Thank you. But I also feel like it's about removing the barriers to care, right, and how do we do that, and it's being part of that team, and I think PBT is part of that solution. Yeah. You know, it's just kind of, it's always been that think tank, it's always kind of looking issues at but looking at it a different way, and how can we think bigger and different to come to a solution, and not let those hiccups and those days where you feel like your back is against the wall stop you from moving forward. You just gotta kind of repaint a different direction or repaint a different path to move in that way.
Heather Patrick:Yeah, I like that. Repaint a different path. We certainly have done that.
Dr. Pat Segu:Yeah, painted a lot of different paths.
Heather Patrick:Yeah, but I mean really when you think about it, when we started together, I mean we really were focused on screening.
Dr. Pat Segu:Yes.
Heather Patrick:And and really hadn't started kind of this transformation of work of looking at all the points of the continuum of care and working with different communities across the state. I mean, we really are doing work in every area of the state and we have those voices across the state, whether it's through strategic partnerships or on the board, right? We have 22 board members right now. Yes. And so, you know, we are always looking for those voices, those partners to help us navigate and be successful in all different communities across the state because we know not every community needs the same thing.
Dr. Pat Segu:Right.
Heather Patrick:So we have to go in and assess where we can close the gaps and that's what I really love about this organization is we're not, we don't have one single solution. We really do work together with all different organizations and all different voices to assess what's needed and how can we help fill that. And that's why I love doing this work. And the other thing that I love about this organization, but about the space too, right, is it's actually solvable.
Dr. Pat Segu:It is solvable. We have the right mindset.
Heather Patrick:Right.
Dr. Pat Segu:And the right people at the Yes, right.
Heather Patrick:With some shift in interventions, we truly could solve the problem in a pretty significant way. And for me, that's what keeps me going, knowing that we really can change the path for our patients if we can get enough people involved in this movement to shift interventions.
Dr. Pat Segu:And having like minded individuals that are open to changing and kind of thinking outside the box.
Heather Patrick:Yep. Yep. All right. So for everyone listening, do you want to know how to be a part of PBT? Because we can tell you, we are always looking for board members, community members to serve in all different capacities.
Heather Patrick:You can volunteer with us. You can become a vision screener. You can go out and advocate on behalf of PBT. You can help going to communities and talk about and educate. And of course you can always donate to support us as well.
Heather Patrick:But we are always looking for different voices to get involved in what we do. All right, so on that, your donation will help fund outreach to people at the highest risk of vision loss. It supports all the work we do, right? From going out and screening kids in schools to training the nurses and health administrators to working with parents to providing education to community health workers across the state. We work with all different groups.
Heather Patrick:We work with colleges and nurses and just everybody who has a stake in the process we support in some way, shape or form. And for our clients, we are providing those screenings, we are providing navigation resources, we provide financial resources, and of course we always have education materials available. So your donation helps us serve as many people as possible. So if you wanna get involved, please feel free to reach out to us. We're always happy to talk to you and get you involved in this great movement.
Heather Patrick:All right, so any last things, Doctor. Segu?
Dr. Pat Segu:Thank you for having me. I think this has been so inspiring just to be here, know, being able to have the conversation with you. Like I said, Prevent Blindness is an organization I keep very close to my heart. I love the organization, again, it's one that does such good work across the whole state of Texas, and again, they are the boots on the ground. They are the ones day in and day out, screening, educating, helping patients go from screening to care and closing that loop.
Dr. Pat Segu:And early detection is key, it's about protecting your eyes and it's about, you know, preventative care. And prevent blindness is right there.
Heather Patrick:Any last words of wisdom?
Dr. Pat Segu:To make sure you get your comprehensive eye exam, early detection is key, protect those eyes. Mean, eye is a very, you know, that's where we create all our memories, that's what we used to see and without that you lose that vision, I mean that's heartbreaking. So to be able to early detection, early intervention, protect your eyes, get that comprehensive care.
Heather Patrick:When I was in first grade, so we in Texas, it's mandated that certain grades are screened. And so I was in first grade and I went through the screening and I failed. And we had no idea, my parents didn't, I that I really couldn't see well. And went and got glasses and of course back then, the glasses were huge.
Dr. Pat Segu:I remember You have more style now. Yeah, thank God. Way more choices. Way more color.
Heather Patrick:Yeah. But I remember for the first time when I had my glasses specifically, I could still think back to that day. I remember telling my mom I could finally see the leaves on the trees. Right? And I didn't know I couldn't see them, right?
Heather Patrick:They were just big green blobs, I guess. You don't know what you don't
Dr. Pat Segu:know. Exactly. Right?
Heather Patrick:And so I always think about that, especially with the kids that we screen and knowing that 50% of the kids we screen about across the state, right, still don't move into care, right, even though we know they have an issue. And so for me, that's one of the reasons we're doing things like this. That's one of the reasons, you know, we do the things we do because there are thousands of people out, it's just in our state alone, that need the vision care, that need the help, that don't know what they don't know in terms of realizing they really can't see as well as they could. All the things that means from learning and development to living independently, it's just so important. And so I always think back to it, and it's so funny because so many times people will be like, I had the same exact experience with the leaves on the trees.
Dr. Pat Segu:Don't know what it is about the leaves on the trees.
Heather Patrick:But it just has always resonated with me, that moment of being able to see clearly and what it meant for me.
Dr. Pat Segu:I mean, it's about, a lot of times learning is the beginning part, like when you're in school, learning is very much visual for a good amount of time and a lot of children suffer in silence because they don't know what they don't know, right? And so just like you have to get your backpack ready to go to school, get all your school supplies, you need to make sure your eyes are ready to be able to learn. And that's about getting that comprehensive eye exam. And even through the project See to Succeed, which is with the city of Houston, I helped be a founding medical director for that project. I mean, there was a child that came in through middle school that couldn't see, went through the project, got glasses, and now, that student is a third year optometry student, so she's going to optometry school, and that's kind of changing, the career path, kind of giving that student the opportunity to maybe think bigger and move forward.
Heather Patrick:Yep, repainting the path.
Dr. Pat Segu:Right, that's repainting the path. Exactly.
Heather Patrick:Thank you so much for listening and making sure you subscribe to I Spiring with Prevent Blindness Texas. Let us know what's your vision.
