Rich Snyder’s mom Louella had macular degeneration and glaucoma that were debilitating. He recently started taking eye drops for glaucoma himself.
“I have taken on the responsibility to begin to help others by working with the Eye & Ear Foundation to get more help in other areas surrounding Pittsburgh,” Snyder said.
To that end, he will be supporting the purchase and implementation of two retinal cameras to be placed in Armstrong County – where he is from – to screen patients who are high risk for eye diseases like glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and more. The Department is currently evaluating potential sites.
Snyder will also be making a $25,000 donation that will be used in conjunction with the EEF grant from the Addison Gibson Foundation to provide medical financial assistance for patients from Armstrong County who have medical costs that they cannot afford and are not covered by insurance.
Eye & Ear Foundation CEO Lawton Snyder (no relation) said, “The Snyder family has been a major contributor to vision research for many years, starting with Richard’s parents, Chuck and Louella. We can’t thank Richard enough for what he is doing to prevent vision loss in communities of need.”
“This is so very important to our area because it will help detect eye problems early for anyone who might suspect them either from their doctor or examiner without traveling too far away,” Rich Snyder said.