Check out the results from the 2009 Give Kids Sight Day Event
Vision difficulties are one of the most common child health problems in the United States and the most prevalent handicapping condition in childhood.
Problems with children's eyesight can start at an early age and can affect a child’s ability to learn, athletic performance and even self-esteem. Vision problems are often misdiagnosed as behavior problems or learning disabilities. If a child’s eye problems are not treated, these problems can worsen and even lead to blindness.
The good news is that vision loss can be avoided if problems are found and treated early.
However, many barriers exist that prevent children from accessing vision care services. PCCY works to improve the visual health of the region’s children by engaging in multiple, interconnected efforts to improve children’s access to vision health care services.
Children’s Vision Health – A Report
PCCY undertook an in-depth examination of Philadelphia children’s visual health status identifying factors that facilitate and hinder access to care as well as recommendations for increasing access. Follow the link below to read the report. You can also contact PCCY to request copies.
A Problem We Don't See: The Status of Children’s Vision Health in Philadelphia Download PDF
Children’s Vision Health Resource Guide
In Philadelphia, thousands of school children who have identified eye problems do not receive needed treatment or glasses. While a majority of students receive their annual vision screen in school, in the 2007-2008 academic year 63% of the 22,055 children that failed the screen did not see an eye doctor for follow-up care.
PCCY has developed a guide to help parents, counselors, health care providers and others who care for children access vision health care resources in Philadelphia. The guide lists over 100 eye doctors within the city that provide services to children.
Vision Health Resource Guide - A Guide to Vision Health Services for Philadelphia's Children and Adolescents – includes a list of eye doctors as well as their locations on a Philadelphia map. Download PDF
How Well Does Your Child See?
An Educational Tool for Parents.
PCCY has designed paper glasses with a lens that simulates a vision problem for school nurses and primary care providers to distribute to parents whose child has failed a vision screen in an effort to demonstrate how their child may see the world. The glasses include information about how to find an eye doctor to obtain follow-up care.
PCCY Vision Simulator
These Paper Glasses give you an idea of how blurry the world may be for your child.
Children’s Vision Health Coalition
PCCY has initiated a Children’s Vision Health Coalition comprised of a cross-section of stakeholders concerned about children’s visual health. The Task Force collaborates on a variety of initiatives to reach the goal of connecting children to vision health care services. Coalition meeting dates are marked on PCCY’s community action calendar.
For more information and to get involved please contact Joshua Cohen at joshuac@pccy.org
