Carol Nowlin was asleep in her bed when she awoke with a terrible pain around her left eye. She had been suffering from wet macular degeneration for awhile and was in the process of receiving treatment for the disease. The treatment was going well until early Saturday morning, on September 24th,when complications from a surgery caused a severe headache that she could not ignore. Mrs. Nowlin did not know what to do because it was so early in the morning and on a weekend. She contacted a friend that was able to track down Dr. Charles Kinney, her optometrist. Dr. Kinney offered to meet Mrs. Nowlin at the Doctors Vision Center Eden office at 8 PM that Saturday evening. After examining her, he was concerned that the pain could be a serious complication from the surgery.
Dr. Kinney decided that Mrs. Nowlin needed to go to the emergency room immediately and contacted her ophthalmologist. The Moses Cone Emergency Room was a 45 minute drive from the office and Mrs. Nowlin’s 92-year-old husband could not make the drive. Dr. Kinney, recognizing the nature of the situation, without hesitation drove Mrs. Nowlin to the Moses Cone emergency room. After a thorough exam by her ophthalmologist, Mrs. Nowlin had emergency eye surgery that evening. The next morning, Mrs. Nowlin was released and ready to go home. But the story does not end there.
On Sunday morning, Dr. Kinney drove back to Moses Cone. Dr. Kinney never gave a second thought to picking up Mrs. Nowlin from the hospital and making sure she was safely driven back to her back home in Eden.
Carol Nowlin stated, “Dr. Kinney is a kind and generous man. Thank you so much.” Putting his own personal life aside, Dr. Kinney demonstrated kind and unselfish actions, which are often missed in today’s busy society. If not for Dr. Kinney, Mrs. Nowlin would not have received the treatment and care she needed. She is now recovering and feeling much better. Most importantly, her vision is improving by the day.
For his dedication to his patient and exemplary actions, Dr. Kinney was awarded the Doctors Vision Center’s September Hero of the month award, because true heroes see past a normal eye exam and into the eyes of patient care and comfort. Dr. Peter Hollis, Medical Director for Doctors Vision Center said, “When you care more about your patients than you do about your free time, time with your family, time of day or night, then you’re are a hero. Dr. Charles Kinney demonstrates this commitment to his patients every day and it is the kind of expectation we set with all our eye care professionals at Doctors Vision Center.”
About the Doctors Vision Center Heroes Program
The purpose of the our Doctors Vision Center Heroes program is to recognize those optical professionals in our offices across North Carolina and Virginia who are making a difference with patients through eye care services. This may include the detection of eye disease, health issues, emergency services, and vision saving stories, or simply going above and beyond to help those in need. We pride ourselves on being a company that puts our customers first and would like to take the time once a month to acknowledge a member of our staff who lives this mission everyday.
For more information about Doctors Vision Center, visit www.doctorsvisioncenter.com.