Nix Foundation donates virtual-reality vision equipment to NSUOCO

(Tahlequah, Oklahoma) -- The vision misfortune of Mildred Jordan Nix and her twin, Callie Jordan Stinson, more than a century ago continues to fuel the philanthropic mission of her descendantsmost recently through a gift of Vivid Vision equipment to the Northeastern State University Oklahoma College of Optometry.

Born at Bacone College in 1910, the girls eyesight was permanently damaged by eye drops improperly administered shortly after birth. Today, the descendants of Mildred and Callie are the trustees of the The Nix Foundation, a charitable organization that is striving to gift resources to nonprofits and the communities they serve in the areas of healthcare, research, treatment, training and educational scholarships.

NSU Foundation Director Peggy Glenn said the university was pleased to work with The Nix Foundation to provide this innovative piece of equipment to the NSUOCO.

Vivid Vision uses cutting-edge, virtual-reality hardware as therapy and/or correction for amblyopia (lazy eye), strabismus (misalignment of eye) and vergence (focusing) disorders.

The Nix Foundation's continued passion for helping children and adults in northeastern Oklahoma with vision issues is greatly appreciated and will have a positive impact on the type of vision care available at the Oklahoma College of Optometry," Glenn said.

NSUOCO Assistant Professor Dr. Sarah Krein said patients who have been diagnosed with amblyopia, sometimes referred to as lazy eye or an eye turn, and the patients who struggle to use both eyes together can benefit from the vision therapy experience provided by Vivid Vision.

Having this Vivid Vision unit here at NSUOCO means our patients have access to the latest and most advanced amblyopia treatment system available. This equipment is providing a fun, virtual, interactive activity for patients, and it allows the doctors to have better control over the patient's experience during therapy.

Krein said the Vivid Vision unit will help therapy patients experience larger gains in a shorter amount of time.

This technology is so beneficial, even adult patients with amblyopia are showing visual improvements after working with the Vivid Vision. I am so thankful for The Nix Foundation and its trustees, Jimmy Nix and Patsi Nix Smith, for the donation to vision therapy department so we can provide the very best care to our patients.

About NSUOCO

Northeastern State University Oklahoma College of Optometry is one of only 22 optometric training schools in the United States, and prides itself on developing world-class optometrists with practical experience both in and out of the classroom, as well as post-graduate clinical residency certification and continuing optometric education. Through partnerships with the Cherokee Nation and other area entities, NSUOCO clinics see more than 60,000 patients each year.