Eye care coming to UNL From Staff Reports Students in need of eye care will have a convenient, low-cost alternative when the University Health Center opens a new optometry department on Sept. 8. Hcaitn center medical director Russell LaBcau said the department was started in response TT 1 7 loincrcasm8sluucru rlPfl tfldcmand LLv/\A/tviv Many students have called for information about eye care services, he said. LaBeau said the service had been offered at many other universities but never at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Mark Ameson, a local optometrist, will run the department. He received his undergraduate degree from UNL and has been practicing in Lincoln for two years. Glasses will not be available through the health center, but students can lake their prescriptions off campus to get them filled. Contact lenses will be avail able at the health center in January. Eye exams initially will be offered only on Thursday mornings, but the hours will be expanded as requests for appointments increase, he said. The cost of the exams will not be covered by student health fees. LaBcau declined to release specific information regarding costs, but he said the exams would be significantly less expensive than private optometry clinics. For more information, contact the University Health Center. Health center: New hours OK By Rebecca Pitmans Staff Reporter The University Heal th Center has had no problems adjusting to having no overnight services, said Russell LaBeau, medical director of the heal th center. The center stopped providing 24 hour medical services on May 9. It eliminated late-evening and carly moming services and expanded day time hours. LaBeau said too few students used the overnight services. The cost of serving the small num ber of students was not economically feasible, cost ing up to $400 per patient. Cutting out the nighttime hours has made a big difference to the center financially, LcBeau said. “We arc better able to meet our budget,” LcBeau said. An orderly still remains over night to answer calls and to reter students to another location or phone number, he said. “The calls are very few,” LaBeau said. “Even afternoons are 1 ight, and about once or tw ice a week we ’ II refer a student out at night.” LaBeau said weekend and holi day hours th is summer also had been used lightly. The center usually re ceives fewer calls during the sum mer, he said. Prior to this summer, the night hours in the summer were used less than 10 percent of what they were used during the academic year, LaBeau said. Although the health center had more students using the nighttime hours in the regular school year, most calls came in before 10 p.m., LeBeau said. “With the center being open until 10 p.m. this fall, we will still be able 10 loKC CalU UI IIIUAI Uiu>x v*a 113, LcBeau said. Prevention specialist David Bow er said the health center also had had no problems without the nighttime . detoxification service. Few students used the service when it was available at night, he said. For students living on campus who need a detoxification center, the health center will refer them of have the UNL police escort them to the Comhuskcr Place Detox Center at 721 K St. If students arc victims of sexual assault at night, they have a few optioas, Sexuality Education Coor dinator Pal Tetrcault said. “They could either call the Rape Spouse abuse crisis line,” Tetrcault said. “Or if they go to the emergency center at Lincoln General, the health center will pay for that service.” TI calculators work harder. To help you work smarter. BA II PLUS™ Combines advanced financial and scien tific functions in one easy^tO' use calculator. ^35 95 TI 85“ $109.95 while supplies last BACK TO SCHOOL HOURS Monday - Friday 8/15-8/19 & 8/22-8/26 8:00 am - 9:00 pm Sunday 8/21 Saturday 8/20 Noon -10:00 pm 9:00 am - 6:00 pm BA II PLUS fc a trademark of T*xai Ituirumetut lnrot|x5o am3 £rt mss #