Children's Programs and Services
Because one out of three children in the United States does not receive critical eye care services before the age of six, many children are at risk of suffering vision loss. Prevent Blindness Texas has launched it's "Star Pupils" campaign, the organization's children's platform, designed to educate parents on children's vision issues. The campaign also seeks donations to provide disadvantaged children with access to vision care.
The "Star Pupils" campaign will arm parents with information they need in order to protect their kid's eyes at play and school to ensure a lifetime of quality vision. Parents may simply visit starpupils.org to receive free sight-saving information about their child's eye including information on:
- Common Eye Problems in Children
- Eye Safety
- A Family At-Home Vision Test
Starpupils.org also provides useful information for parents of school-age children. Parents are also encouraged to share stories of how their child's vision health has impacted their lives.
Without a certified vision screening or eye exam, a child may have serious undetected vision problems. In fact, some potentially blinding eye diseases and conditions can be successfully treated if detected early in life. Possible vision conditions in children include amblyopia, or “lazy eye,” strabismus, or “crossed eyes”.
Amblyopia is the most common cause of visual impairment in childhood and is responsible for more loss of vision in people age 45 and younger than all other eye diseases and trauma combined. According to vision industry statistics, 80 percent of children diagnosed with a learning disability have an undiagnosed vision problem. And, 70 percent of juvenile delinquents have visual problems.
Only an eye doctor can diagnose and treat a vision problem, but vision screenings help find children and adults who need a full eye exam. Prevent Blindness America's vision screenings are an accurate, cost-effective way to find vision problems and refer people with signs of problems to eye doctors for professional care.
To find out more information about our Children's Programs and Services, please select a topic by clicking on the arrows below:
Prevent Blindness America has the only national program that trains and certifies people around the country to conduct screenings that find vision problems in preschool and school-age children. Our screening procedures are recommended by many of the nation's leading children's eye care professionals and researchers. Read More
The "Sight for Students" Program is VSP Vision Care’s national charity program that provides FREE EYE EXAMS AND EYEGLASSES, when prescribed, to those children who qualify. Last year, Prevent Blindness Texas helped 938 children receive a comprehensive eye exam and corrective lenses, if needed, through the "Sight for Students" Program. Read More