StatePoint

Every child deserves the opportunity to excel in the classroom, and clear vision empowers students to perform up to twice as well in school, according to research from the Rural Education Action Program.

In fact, experts at The Vision Council confirm that 80 percent of children’s learning occurs through visual processing.

Unfortunately, many kids are missing out by not getting proper eye care. Thirty-five percent of children have never seen a vision care professional, according to The Vision Care Institute. And of those that do take and fail a vision screening, a large portion don’t receive follow-up from an eye care professional.

“An eye exam should be part of every family’s healthcare check list to help ensure children reach their full potential in the classroom,” says Lisa Curcuruto, Focus on Sight program manager at OneSight, an independent nonprofit that provides underserved students and communities worldwide with comprehensive eye exams and glasses. “Through the OneSight Focus on Sight program, we are committed to helping students in need and their families have access to vision care and glasses. We believe every child deserves the opportunity to excel.”

Parents should periodically check in with children to ask how school is going and if they are having any trouble seeing the board. Many kids don’t share their vision struggles with parents or teachers and lose interest in the classroom.

Families can also help all students see better and succeed in school by providing eye care to children in need. OneSight works with local communities to provide vision care to students during their school day. Consider making a donation to OneSight, which works with school-based health centers to integrate vision care into their healthcare offerings. The OneSight school-based vision centers provide students in need and their families access to comprehensive eye exams, quality glasses and repair of glasses. In addition, the vision centers can provide referrals to ophthalmologists for complicated eye issues and education on the importance of eye health and wellness. To learn more, visit onesight.org/learn.

The importance of clear vision can’t be overstated. Help kids make the most of school by ensuring they have the vision care they need to succeed in the classroom.