Vision care is an essential part of ensuring the academic success and the overall well-being of children. While often overlooked, vision plays a crucial role in a child’s ability to read, learn, and thrive in school, which is why Collier County Public Schools is proud to recognize and celebrate its collaboration with several organizations to provide free vision services for students.
We See You
Our “We See You” partnerships not only detect potential vision problems through mobile, on-site screenings, but they may also provide children in need with necessary exams, glasses, and more, giving students the gift of sight and helping them succeed in the classroom. For example, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute and Florida Heiken Children’s Vision Program will provide comprehensive eye exams and prescription glasses at no cost to students who fail a vision screening. They also help students with advanced vision conditions get the vision care they need, such as surgery and long-term treatment – all free of charge thanks to the support of the Naples Children and Education Foundation.
“A lot of times the kids say, ‘Oh, I see great,’ and then you find out later that they can’t see farther than their hands,” explained Dr. Bailey Peterson, an optometrist with Bascom Palmer and lead optometrist for the NCEF Vision Initiative in Collier County. “Our work is incredibly important for academic success as well as confidence for these kids. We look at the big picture. Great for academic success, of course, but also human development as well.”
Providing students with the proper tools to see clearly means they can engage in their lessons more effectively, participate fully in class activities, and approach their education with confidence.
“Not being able to see the board property, getting headaches any time they try to read – those things impact learning,” said Dr. Nathalie Findlater, an independent contractor with Florida Heiken Children’s Vision Program. “I’ve been working with Heiken for over a year now, and doing this has been really rewarding, especially providing free eye exams and glasses to students who don’t have access to them.”
Other partners include the Florida Department of Health – Collier County, Florida Lions Eye Clinic, Healthcare Network, and Naples Lions Club. Healthcare Network specifically targets pre-k students enrolled in Head Start, while the Naples Lions Club provides CCPS students with vision vouchers for eye exams when parents have no eye insurance.
”We’re very fortunate here in Collier County to be able to partner with many different vision services,” said Beth Wipf, director of health services for CCPS. “They are able to come out so that the students get care right on site at the schools, and that saves parents from having to take them out of school to the appointment. They are able to get the care and everything they need right here on site.”
According to the American Optometric Association, 1 in 4 children have a vision problem, and many of these issues can be corrected with early intervention. Wipf added, “If you can’t see, it’s really going to be hard for you to learn so we want to make sure that we’re optimizing the student’s ability to learn to their fullest potential.”