Free vision checks put on by The Salvation Army

Free vision checks were held in Whakatane today and would be held in Rotorua tomorrow. Photo / File

Free clinics to improve the sight of hundreds of Bay of Plenty residents are coming to the region.

The Salvation Army and OneSight are joining forces to help Bay of Plenty people solve their vision problems.

Free vision checks, run by Salvation Army and OneSight, were held in Whakatane today and would be held in Rotorua tomorrow.

The Tauranga clinic happened yesterday.

The numbers had been similar in all the screening clinics, with almost 90 per cent of those attending the screenings needing glasses and half of them walking out with a pair on the day.

For many people attending the clinics, these vision screening assessments were a first in their lifetime.

OneSight is global non-profit organisation committed to closing the vision care gap for the 1 billion people in the world who lack access.

Last year more than 300 people were tested at the joint Salvation Army-OPSM clinics.