For longer than a decade, Scheie Eye Institute ophthalmologists have partnered with Puentes de Salud—a nonprofit health organization—to provide essential and preventative ophthalmic care among those at risk within the South Philadelphia community.
Puentes de Salud embodies the Scheie Eye Institute’s mission to prioritize community partnerships, and the organization’s goals align with key tenets of our Strategic Plan—expanding access to eye care, fostering collaboration, and leading in quality and compassion. Through efforts like Puentes de Salud, affectionately nicknamed “Puentes,” Scheie ophthalmologists and volunteers continue to transform eye care across the broader Philadelphia community with intertwining foci on trust, equity, compassion, and service.
Tomas Aleman, MD, faculty member and longstanding volunteer with the organization, recalls that the Scheie Eye Institute and Department of Ophthalmology has been involved at Puentes de Salud since its inception. According to Dr. Aleman, the outreach began with Dr. Albert Maguire, then grew with the dedication of Dr. César Briceño, Dr. Vivian Lee, and Dr. Aleman himself. The ophthalmic volunteer team now sees patients on the second Wednesday each month from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, serving as a link to specialized care for a population in need of such vital resources.
“The community is mainly underserved Hispanic populations of Philadelphia and surroundings—although it is not restricted to a social, ethnic or cultural background,” Dr. Aleman explains. Considering the clinic patients, Dr. Aleman observes, “The population is mainly active working-age patients—relatively younger, by comparison, to [those at] our clinics [at the Scheie Eye Institute].” Such after-hours availability is a lifeline to a community for whom typical appointment times are not feasible.
Our Scheie faculty’s volunteer involvement with the organization often focuses on treating preventable yet vision-threatening diseases and addresses the gap between such patients and critical clinical attention. “We offer support to other Penn colleagues from Internal Medicine and often see and treat patients with uncontrolled treatable eye diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy or glaucoma,” Dr. Aleman explains, touching upon the importance of their support. “This work is critical to prevent blindness.”
Dr. Briceño, a longstanding volunteer, observes that Puentes de Salud has continued to grow and strengthen its capacity within local communities. “With the help of [the department’s former chair and current faculty member] Dr. Joan O’Brien and Marquis Vaughn, we obtained a grant from the Penn Board of Women Visitors in 2017 that allowed us to equip the exam lane with a new slit lamp, new indirect ophthalmoscope, new auto refractor, and a new Tonopen,” explains Dr. Briceño. “A former [medical] student, Sabrina Bulas, also obtained a substantial donation of reading glasses that has allowed [Puentes de Salud] to donate reading glasses to those patients that need them.”
The volunteer-driven ophthalmology clinic at Puentes de Salud continues to thrive thanks to the dedication of dedicated faculty and trainees, including—in addition to Dr. Tomas Aleman and Dr. Cesar Briceño—volunteers Dr. Michelle Sun, Dr. Kiara Corcoran Ruiz, and Dr. Alexander Hüther, representing a range of subspecialties in total.
“We must thank Dr. Briceño for engaging support to obtain resources through grants,” adds Dr. Aleman, reflecting upon the volunteer clinic’s enlarged capacity and impact in 2026. “It is now a well-equipped clinic that consistently serves those who have less.”
In 2026, volumes continue to surge, according to Dr. Aleman. The necessity for clinical care, especially care for those seeking equitable access, is crucial in a present-day landscape of changing healthcare policies, plans, and regulations. In response to growing need, Scheie physicians volunteer their time and efforts tirelessly for these efforts, and their plans for Puentes de Salud’s future are dually ambitious and hopeful. “There is much to do,” Dr. Aleman promises regarding the work ahead.
by Maressa Park