In a famous Brazilian movie called “Elite Squad,” a boy from the favelas struggled to achieve academic success. His teacher blamed the organization working in that impoverished area, stating that the boy named Romerito never paid attention, was very distracted, and had difficulty with reading, writing, and mathematics.
“He needs many extra classes,” the teacher said.
One day, a new volunteer witnessed the scolding directed at Romerito and had a different theory. He drew two numbers on large posters and covered them. He asked the child to do the same with his eyes. Then, he conducted a simple eye exam, discovering something that neither teachers nor family had detected. Romerito needed glasses. Due to his inability to identify symbols and letters, he opted for what was simpler: playing.
They got him glasses, and his life changed. Something so simple and necessary transformed his life.
This is what various studies have found, especially in Latino children. The need to examine their eyes and provide them with glasses is fundamental for their academic performance and their overall life.
A growing number of U.S. children may develop vision problems before they reach kindergarten, according to a study reported by Newsmax. Latino children were the most likely group to have vision problems. Study researchers examined U.S. census records and eye exams of 12,000 children aged 6 and younger. They estimated that as of 2015, 174,000 U.S. children aged 3-5 had vision impairment. That number could grow to more than 220,000 children by 2060.
That’s why the work of Vision To Learn is critical in this country.
“This year marks another set of milestones for Vision To Learn as we have helped provide about 2 1/2 million children with vision screenings, 500,000 with eye exams, and 400,000 with glasses. All at no cost to the children or their families. Vision To Learn now operates the largest school-based eye care program in the country,” says Austin Beutner, founder of this organization.
“Vision To Learn has spent the last decade changing rules and laws across the country and building the systems needed to help children at the place where they are almost every day—their local, neighborhood school. When children come to school hungry, we provide them with food. We make sure they have the textbooks and school materials they need. Why not glasses?” Beutner adds, as if recalling the problem experienced by Romerito in the movie.
The study mentioned above also found that Latino kids accounted for 38% of vision impairment cases, compared to 26% among white kids and 25% among black kids.
“Researchers estimated [the Latino] proportion would climb [from 38%] to 44% by 2060 aided by higher birth rates in this population relative to other racial and ethnic groups,” according to the Newsmax report.
The founder of Vision to Learn mentions two other studies.
“More recently, researchers from Johns Hopkins University conducted the most comprehensive study in the U.S. about the connection between glasses and academic achievement. Thousands of children from more than 100 schools in Baltimore who received glasses from Vision To Learn participated. The children who were provided with glasses did much better in school, and the impacts were greater than more costly measures such as lengthening the school day, providing computers, or creating charter schools. The children who showed the biggest gains, the equivalent of an additional four to six months of learning, were those who are often the hardest to help—students in the bottom quarter of their class academically and students with learning differences and disabilities.”
Beutner adds, “Vision To Learn authored legislation in South Carolina, which allows mobile vision clinics to operate at schools in low-income communities. Before that, mobile vision clinics could only operate at health care facilities. Yes, you read that correctly. In California, Hawaii, and across the country, we helped pass rules at the state and local level, which allow school districts to use ‘Opt-Out’ consents. States have different standards about when a child should be provided with a vision screening, often at school.
The challenge is what comes next. If a screening indicates there might be an issue, it’s important for the child to be provided with a proper eye exam. Sometimes the process to get a family’s consent for the exam requires the student to bring a permission slip home and then return it signed to school (Opt-In). Unfortunately, despite extensive efforts by school staff and Vision To Learn, about 1/2 of Opt-In permission slips don’t get back to school. The ‘Opt-Out’ method includes eye care as part of the enrollment forms a family fills out before their child starts school. All families want their child to get care once they are aware of a health issue.”
Therefore, it is essential for this organization to build more awareness and support across the country, working collaboratively with leaders, organizations, and government entities to address these issues.
“More than 20% of Vision To Learn’s funding in 2022-23 came from public sources with some states above 75%. We expect to exceed 40% on a nationwide basis in the next couple of years. Vision To Learn is leading the way to reform the delivery of healthcare services. And we’re doing this while operating the most comprehensive and cost-effective school-based eye care program in the nation,” says Austin.
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