We work to make sure that everyone has a chance to enjoy a lifetime of healthy vision, starting in infancy and continuing through adulthood. Here’s how we help make sure that children can see well to learn and grow.
The National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health
The National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness was established to support the development of public health infrastructure to promote and ensure a comprehensive, multi tiered continuum of vision care and eye health for young children. The Center is committed to conducting this work through strong partnerships, sound science, and targeted policy initiatives.
Our Affiliates and Offices Around the Country
Prevent Blindness affiliates provide direct programs in communities around the country to make sure that children have their eyes checked and are ready for school. They conduct preschool vision screening programs. They train and certify vision screeners. They promote, develop and partner in state coalitions to improve health systems for children’s vision. They help children in low income families pay for professional eye care and glasses.
Education and Outreach
Prevent Blindness partners with other socially-minded organizations to help raise awareness on issues such as access to eye exams and glasses, school readiness, sports eye safety, home eye injury prevention and fireworks safety.
Access to Care
We advocate for public policies that improve health systems nationwide and provide better access to eye health care. We work to connect patients to appropriate eye care, including distributing vouchers from industry partners for free or reduced cost eye exams and glasses to low income families in need.
Prevent Blindness Guidelines for Children’s Vision
Prevent Blindness recommends a continuum of eye care for children to include both vision screening and comprehensive eye examinations. All children, even those with no signs of trouble, should have their eyes checked at regular intervals. Any child who experiences vision problems or shows symptoms of eye trouble should receive a comprehensive eye examination by an optometrist or an ophthalmologist.
