Governor Mike DeWine Announces Initiative To Equip Ohio Students With Necessary Glasses

Governor Mike DeWine has launched Ohio's first statewide plan to ensure every child who needs glasses at school receives them. During a visit to Oxford Elementary, DeWine outlined the goals of his "Children’s Vision Strike Force." This initiative aims to address the vision needs of students across Ohio, particularly in low-income and rural areas.

"Experts tell us that 80 percent of a child’s learning comes through their sense of sight. Fortunately, we have leaders who are doing innovative work to help connect more students with supports like eye exams and glasses," DeWine said. He emphasized the importance of expanding these solutions to more schools and communities across Ohio.

Austin Beutner, founder of Vision To Learn, praised Governor DeWine for his leadership. "When a child comes to school, we make sure they’re provided with food, along with the books and school supplies they need. Why not glasses? Every child in every school, everywhere in the country, should have the glasses they need to succeed in school and in life," Beutner stated.

Approximately one in four children need glasses to see clearly at school. However, many children in low-income and rural communities often lack access to eye care. In Ohio alone, an estimated 250,000 students are without glasses despite regular vision screenings provided at schools.

Vision To Learn (VTL), a non-profit charity, aims to bridge this gap by offering vision screenings, eye exams, and glasses to children in low-income communities. Since its inception, VTL has provided over 3 million children in 17 states and the District of Columbia with vision screenings. Additionally, they have conducted 570,000 eye exams and distributed 470,000 pairs of glasses at no cost to families.

Vision To Learn began its efforts in Ohio in 2021 through collaborations with the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio and the Ohio Optometric Foundation's iSee program at Cambridge Primary. The initiative has since expanded to Youngstown and Cleveland with support from local organizations such as Sight for All United and the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley.

In Ohio, Vision To Learn has provided more than 36,000 children with vision screenings and 10,000 with glasses. The program operates through a public-private model that involves partnerships with philanthropic organizations, eye care professionals, school districts, and state and local governments.

ResultsOHIO Partnership

In 2021, Vision To Learn's program in Southeastern Ohio became the first funded by ResultsOHIO's pay-for-success model. Over two years, VTL exceeded all established metrics, helping children in 24 rural counties receive school-based eye care.

About Vision To Learn

Founded in 2012 by Austin Beutner and the Beutner Family Foundation, Vision To Learn serves some of the hardest-to-reach children. Approximately 90% of kids served by VTL live in poverty, and about 85% are Black or Latino. The organization has provided over 3 million children with vision screenings and about 480,000 with glasses across 17 states and the District of Columbia.

For more information on Vision To Learn, please visit www.visiontolearn.org.