The Need is Great
- Each year more than 100,000 American children go blind needlessly, simply because they did not receive an eye exam.
- One in 4 elementary school children have an undetected eye problem that may affect learning.
- Timing is critical for proper eye-brain development.
- If these problems are not detected and treated, vision may be lost forever.
- Approximately 5% of children under 5 are at risk for serious vision problems causing permanent vision loss.
- An additional 10% need glasses to have the vision necessary to succeed in school.
- Vision disorders are the most prevalent class of handicapping conditions in childhood.
- Fewer than 15% of all preschool children receive eye exams.
- Fewer than 22% of preschool children receive some type of vision screening to see if they need glasses.
- Amblyopia ("lazy eye"), strabismus (crossed eyes) and significant refractive error (nearsighted, farsighted, & astigmatism) are the prevalent and significant vision disorders of preschool children.
It is well known that identification and treatment of eye abnormalities in childhood is a major public health problem in the U.S.
The Save Our Children’s Sight/EyeMobile program effectively addresses and overcomes the transportation, language, cultural and financial barriers that face most disadvantaged populations.