As the holiday season approaches, many of us think about giving. At Prevent Blindness NC, our focus remains on one of the most meaningful gifts of all—the gift of sight. Because vision affects every part of a person’s life, we are committed to offering screening and training programs that help thousands of North Carolinians each year see their best.
This year, our Preschool Vision Screening Program has continued its important work, providing free vision screenings to young children enrolled in early childhood programs such as Head Start and NC Pre-K. By identifying potential vision issues early, we can help set children on a path toward healthier growth and development. We have had a great deal of success so far this school year as over 27,000 preschoolers have had their eyes evaluated, with over 3,600 of them referred for follow-up care due to possible visual impairments. Over 650 centers in 83 counties have utilized our program as a tool to monitor the visual health of their students.
We are grateful that the centers and schools we serve consider our free vision screening program as a gift for their children.
Most centers eagerly participate each year and truly value the positive impact it makes on the learning and development of their children. We would like to share a few of the positive comments we have received from center directors so far this year.
We have had one child who was fitted for glasses after a prior visit (her mom STILL talks about how she would’ve never known she needed them & would have probably waited a while before taking her had it not been for your wonderful program!!), and 3 more who are making appointments with an eye doctor this year!
-Catawba County
Last year we had a child who was having trouble sitting in group and following directions. He had difficulty recognizing shapes and colors. After the screening and glasses his behavior changed. He was able to listen and follow directions and recognize colors and shapes. The glasses gave him confidence that he could do what was asked of him. Parents were grateful for the feedback and have scheduled exams for their children.
-Mecklenburg County
As a grandparent to one of the children screened, my grandson was recognized as having some vision issues that we were not aware of. If we had not had the screening done we probably would not have realized it for a couple more years. We are very thankful to be able to try and get him in to see the eye doctor sooner than later.
-Onslow County
Renata had no visible symptoms and no family history of eye problems. A Prevent Blindness NC screening detected amblyopia. Her follow‑up eye exam confirmed the diagnosis, and treatment began early: glasses + patching about an hour a day. Her mother is grateful that the screening “changed her daughter’s life” by catching amblyopia before it was too late.
-Durham County
As we continue through the busy holiday season and look ahead to the new year, let’s all remember just how precious the gift of sight really is. Our Preschool Program will continue providing screenings and vision education to children across the state, helping ensure they have the strong foundation good vision provides for learning, growth, and lifelong success.
