HISTORY OF THE CLINIC

Dr. Bates (and later with his assistant Mrs. Emily Lierman) held free clinics at Harlem Hospital, New York from about 1907 into the 1920s. After leaving the Hospital the free Clinic was held at Dr. Bates private practice on a Saturday. (See “Stories from the Clinic” Better Eyesight Magazines.)

Following this tradition a Clinic of some sort has been held in England since the 1930s to the present day. As well as a low cost option for lessons, the Clinic provides a perfect opportunity for trainee teachers to learn and practice under close supervision.

Today’s Bates Vision Clinic offers people on a low income access to vision education. As well as trainees, the Clinic is staffed by teachers from the Bates Association for Vision Education (BAVE) who volunteer their expertise and time, often travelling from all parts of UK and Europe at their own expense.