Issue link: http://georgiancollege.uberflip.com/i/602646
Two years ago, Amber Fournier got to thinking about her then 91-year-old grandfather's macular degeneration condition. She wanted to help him keep his independence by finding the right magnifying aids to correct his low vision. Realizing her grandpa wasn't the only elderly person who needed this assistance, she creatively decided to launch a mobile service called Northern Low Vision Care. Now she offers 100-plus clients, who are an average age of 75, in-home low vision assessments and about 50 magnifying aids and tools manufactured by Eschenbach. These allow her clients to maintain their independence and quality of life, from reading their grocery list and pill bottles, to seeing pictures of their grandchildren. "This all began by trying to help someone I love. Now, being able to share that with others is an amazing feeling," says Amber. Her Sudbury-based business is growing every day to serve people with vision diseases such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, cataracts and retinitis pigmentosa. Amber is also launching a low vision care pilot program at Loblaws in Sault Ste. Marie. She has worked as an optician for the supermarket chain for eight years in Sudbury, and had the opportunity to pitch the program to Loblaws' optical division national management team. They agreed to test her program in one of their stores. Amber was recognized as a leader in her sector for low vision care when she was named Optician of the Year in 2015 by the Ontario Opticians Association. In addition to serving the elderly, Amber is also a champion for vision care for children. She initiated free vision screenings in Sudbury-area elementary schools this year through Loblaws. Amber says a general understanding of how the human eye works, which she learned at Georgian, is the basis for everything she does as an optician. AMBER FOURNIER Bringing low vision care to elderly clients using her mobile service OPTICIANRY, 2005 oWNER, NoRTHERN LoW VISIoN CARE, AND MANAGING oPTICIAN, LoBLAW oPTICAL SUDBURY 2015 PREMIER'S AWARD NOMINEE 9 GEORGIANVIEW 2015 PRoBLEM-SoLVERS