Impact

Most children that fail a vision screening don’t receive eye exams and eye treatment in a timely manner. This lack of timely treatment leads to poor vision and can have a profound negative impact on a child’s educational success.

Studies show that without comprehensive eye care follow-up  more than half of children failing a vision screening will not  will not see an eye doctor.* The resulting lack of treatment leads to poor vision and can have a profound negative impact on a child’s educational success.

To address this concern, Sight Savers America developed a unique  comprehensive follow-up protocol that results in at least 82% of referred children receiving necessary eye care.  This protocol includes  free  eye care follow-up  to approximately 38,000 children each year. All children in low income households receive free assistance such as  eye exams, eyeglasses,  and sight saving treatments .

Our impact on one child’s life can be anything from a first pair of eyeglasses that allow a child to succeed academically and gain more self-confidence, to extensive sight saving treatment for eye conditions such as Amblyopia.

At Sight Savers, we are also concerned with a child’s overall physical health. We help uninsured children by providing families with assistance in applying for the state insurance programs. Our goal is to ensure that every child is as healthy as he or she can be!

*Marshall et al 2007, Donohue et al 2000, Preslan and Novak 1998, Clemens et al 2002, Vision Council of America 2004, Center for Health and Health Care in Schools 2004, Internal Sight Savers data

Eye Care Services in Alabama

Eye Care Services in Mississippi

Low Vision Services in Alabama

Low Vision Services in Mississippi

Low Vision Services in Louisiana

*Several low vision assessments occurred before the child was referred to Sight Savers and were, subsequently, not included or counted as Sight Savers low vision assessments.

** MS and LA were funded by a grant from Lions Clubs International Foundation.