An optometrist at the Glasses2Classes optical event fine tunes Wirt County Primary Center student Lincoln Goff’s prescription with a phoropter Tuesday at Wirt County Middle School. (Photo Provided)

ELIZABETH — Some Wirt County students may be seeing a little more clearly soon after a two-day event offering free eye exams and eyewear.

Coplin Health Systems used funding from the Benedum Foundation to bring the Optical Academy’s Glasses2Classes program to Wirt County Middle School Tuesday and Wirt County High School Wednesday. It’s the first time the program, offered by a network of eye care professionals, has been held in West Virginia, said James Liebau, marketing and events coordinator for Coplin.

Every student was given the option of receiving a free eye exam and screening, Liebau said. Depending on the results, students could also obtain free glasses and pick out the frames right then and there.

“It’s a completely free program from start to finish,” Liebau said.

More than 800 children received exams over the two-day event, he said. As of 1 p.m. Wednesday, more than 130 students were getting new glasses.

Wirt County High School student Lucas Hickman gets an estimate on his eye prescription during an eye screening at the Glasses2Classes optical event Wednesday at the school. (Photo Provided)

“Some of them had never been identified before as having vision problems,” said Kelly Goff, nurse for Wirt County Schools.

She called the event “awesome all around” and said many students were excited.

“I know they’re (eye exams) not cheap … even if you have insurance,” Goff said.

Although Coplin serves multiple counties in the area, Liebau noted the organization started in Wirt County, which has no optometrist. The program was open to all students at each school, and it included some staff members and homeschool children as well, he said.

“We’re always looking for ways to serve the health needs of our community,” Liebau said.

Wirt County Primary Center student Lincoln Goff gets an estimate on his eye prescription during a screening at the Glasses2Classes optical event Tuesday at Wirt County Middle School. (Photo Provided)

The glasses students ordered will be delivered to the school in about three to four weeks.

Liebau thanked Benedum Foundation Vice President and Programming Director Kim Tieman for helping make the event possible.

Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com.

Wirt County Primary Center student Lincoln Goff selects his glasses frames during the Glasses2Classes optical event Tuesday at Wirt County Middle School. (Photo Provided)

Wirt County High School student Lucas Hickman selects his glasses frames during the Glasses2Classes optical event Wednesday at the school. (Photo Provided)