Ohio Brings Eye Care to Schools as Thousands of Children Get Vision Services Where They Learn
This week, Whitehall City Schools’ elementary students had access to vision services in school, as Ohio expands its vision services to help children see clearly and learn.
On September 28, Governor Mike DeWine and First Lady Fran DeWine were joined by the Columbus Crew at Kae Avenue Elementary School for a pep rally to celebrate school-based vision care.
Every Whitehall City School District elementary student was provided vision services as part of a partnership between OhioSEE and the Columbus Crew. Beechwood and Etna Road elementary schools students in grades 2 and 3 were provided with comprehensive eye exams and glasses fittings by Vision to Learn, OhioSEE’s optical partner.
The Columbus Crew has also partnered with Kae Avenue Elementary for three years to deliver vision screenings to kindergarten and first grade students. Zenni Optical has been involved in the campaign to offer comprehensive eye exams and glasses fittings this year.
The programme responds to a challenge that may impact children’s learning and development: access to follow-up vision care following a vision screening that has identified a need.
Currently, OhioSEE is serving 247 school districts in a 15-county pilot area. The programme offers children from kindergarten to grade 3 full vision services in their school.
The Ohio Department of Health reports that 80% of children who are identified as needing further care after vision screening in the pilot counties are not followed up.
The state also has plans to expand OhioSEE to rural counties throughout Ohio with part of its Rural Health Transformation Program award.
