Vision is Priceless - Mobile Vision Van
By Vision is Priceless on February 02, 2024
One in four children—whether from a family with means or a family struggling to get by—naturally needs glasses. Unfortunately, many children who need glasses don’t have them. This is due to many reasons including financial constraints, lack of insurance, language barriers, lack of transportation, or limited access to resources near their neighborhood.
Four years ago we were able to expand our Sight in Schools Children’s Vision Program to solve this problem by bringing the doctor, eye exams, and glasses to kids where they are almost every day—their school. We have successfully achieved this by using mobile vision equipment that our team sets up and breaks down at each clinic inside a classroom at the schools.
Now, with our new Mobile Vision Van, we have a complete eye doctor’s office on wheels!
The first stop our Mobile Vision Van rolled to was Long Branch Elementary, a Title I school here in our city’s Eastside.
During the two days of clinics, our licensed optometrist, Dr Orta, provided comprehensive eye exams to 42 children! All 37 of the students who needed glasses picked out their frames during the mobile clinic. Their glasses will be delivered directly back to them in approximately two weeks!
- Since the beginning of the 2023-2024, we have held 53 Sight in Schools Vision Clinics at local schools, provided 1,008 eye exams to K-12 students, and distributed 805 pairs of prescription glasses here in Duval County. We have another 47 Sight in Schools Mobile Vision Clinics scheduled at Duval County schools for the remainder of this school year.
- The Long Branch Elementary School Sight in Schools Clinic on January 18th was the first Sight in Schools clinic with our new Mobile Vision Clinic Van!
- Correcting a child’s vision removes a crucial barrier preventing the student from improving their grade level reading proficiency as well as assuring success in the classroom.
Good vision is vital for students to reach their full academic potential. In fact, 80% of all learning during childhood occurs visually, meaning children with poor vision are at a major disadvantage. We are so grateful to be able to provide our vision healthcare services free of charge to children in need, increasing their chance of being successful in school, and in life!
Learn more about this incredible program here!
