Children Receiving Follow-Up Eye Care
Since SSA’s inception, over 600,000 children have received comprehensive eye exams, eyeglasses, medications, surgeries and case management support through our Eye Care Program.
We provide individual case-managed eye care services—from the initial dilated eye examination to the final treatment—along with recurring eye care throughout childhood to 50,000+ children referred to this program annually throughout Alabama and in nine additional states (AR, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, TX).
Data show that without a system for individual case management, only about 30% of children actually receive follow-up eye care after a failed vision screening. Through our program, we are able to achieve completed eye care outcomes for an average of over 75% of children referred, which represents a 150% increase in the number of children actually receiving crucial eye care.
Children are referred to SSA via failed vision screenings at school, from teachers, school administrators, school nurses, eye care professionals and parents. Each child referred to SSA is assigned a case specialist to manage his/her eye care needs from start to finish. Via multiple calls and letters, initial contact is established with an overwhelming majority of parents/guardians. They are informed of the screening results and educated about the importance of recurrent eye care. We then schedule comprehensive eye exams with local eye care providers, remind parents/guardians of appointments, and arrange transportation as needed. We also coordinate prescribed treatments, all at no cost to underserved families. Insurance coverage is utilized to pay for applicable costs, while costs not covered by insurance are donated as in-kind services by our SSA provider network, or paid out-of-pocket by SSA.
Eye Care Program Locations
If Sight Savers America does not currently serve your area, and you are aware of potential partnerships or funding, please contact Michelle Ashman, [email protected], (877)942-2627, ext. 238.