Despite 80 percent of a child’s learning happening through the eyes, 1 in 4 have vision problems in the United States. Hence, children with poor and untreated vision are at a disadvantage. If you consider that children in poverty (1 in 3) don’t usually get new items, receiving hand-me-down clothes, toys, shoes, and even glasses made for a brother or sister, this disadvantage becomes a higher barrier to overcome. Studies show that clear, healthy, functional vision is a foundational component of children’s educational, social, communication, and extracurricular success.
Screen, then Examine
The American Optometric Association (AOA) encourages regular vision screenings, which help to identify some of the most common vision problems related to visual acuity such as nearsightedness (also called myopia) or farsightedness (also called hyperopia). Vision screenings are often performed in schools (only is certain grades) by nurses, trained volunteers, or eye care professionals, but their primary objective is not to diagnose vision issues but to flag children who require a more comprehensive eye examination. An eye exam conducted by an optometrist will evaluate how well a child’s eyes work together, looking at acuity, focus, eye tracking, visual alignment, and the ability to differentiate between colors. They can also evaluate the overall health of the eye and determine if a referral to an ophthalmologist to treat a more complex condition is warranted.
Once children reach school age, screenings and exams are recommended annually, but for families with limited means, this may be out of reach. This makes it harder for children to learn, participate in the activities they enjoy and thrive in, interact with peers and more. Further, children with uncorrected refractive errors – those easily corrected by glasses — are more likely to underperform on some metrics of academic performance, which in turn is negatively associated with anxiety. Notably, one of the goals of Healthy People 2030 is to “reduce blindness and visual impairment in children and adolescents,” through “vision screenings, making sure children who need prescription glasses wear them.”
Overcoming Barriers to Vision Impairment
In rural areas, lack of public transportation, reduced health care services, less access to community infrastructure (e.g., broadband internet access), lower educational attainment and health literacy are just a few of the barriers that contribute to health inequity in these communities.Research shows that if left unaddressed the “confluence of four social vectors: poverty, educational underachievement, poor health behaviors, and lack of access to health care” can lead to an intergenerational, “widening gap between rural America and the rest of the country.”
EyeCare4Kids is a non-profit organization that provides professional eye care to low-income, visually-impaired children and underserved families. The vision services are provided in their own community based clinics, at school based clinics and with their mobile vision van. The organization often targets rural locations and communities comprised of indigenous, immigrant or refugee families in Utah, Nevada, and Arizona, with other outposts internationally.
The organization’s ability to meet children where they are removes obstacles that parents face bringing their children to the clinic. Children and families who participate in the program receive identical care to their peers, including brand new glasses with the option to select from hundreds of frame styles. When the glasses are ready, children and their parents are taught how to put on, wear, and take care of their glasses. Notably, there are some children that are seen by EyeCare4Kids year after year to ensure their prescription is up to date and to provide continuity of quality care.
The organization also works directly with nurses and doctors who identify families or communities in need, providing support and the delivery of glasses to some of the most remote locations in the United States – even those reachable only by helicopter or hours drive away from the nearest metropolitan area. The goal is to serve as many children and families as possible to set children up for success at school and in life. In 2024, EyeCare4Kids provided more than 50,000 vision services.
It’s gratifying that there are other organizations also working to improve health equity in children because the need is so great. For example, for nearly 40 years, Remote Area Medical has coordinated healthcare clinics across the United States, providing medical, vision, and dental care to underserved and uninsured individuals lacking access to or unable to afford a doctor. Similarly, the Children’s Health Fund’s mobile clinic has crisscrossed the United States since 1987 to reach children and families living in under-resourced communities. They also support a coalition of 25 national network programs in 15 states. There are other national organizations, as well.
To learn more about how EyeCare4Kids helps children, regardless of socio-economic circumstances to have the visual tools for achieving their highest aspirations—at home, at school, at work, and in the community, and supports health equity, please visit EyeCare4Kids.org
Joseph Carbone
Joseph Carbone is founder and president of EyeCare4Kids™, and board certified optician.
