UnitedHealthcare and Vision To Learn equip 137 Dunleith Elementary students with free eyewear

School-based vision programs are expanding as insurers and nonprofits seek to reduce access barriers for low-income families. On Oct. 21, 30 students at Dunleith Elementary School in Marietta, Georgia, received free prescription glasses as part of a new partnership between Vision To Learn and UnitedHealthcare Vision. The distribution event served as the first milestone in a multi-year initiative to provide care to 137 students at the school during the current academic year.

The collaboration between the two organizations began roughly five to six years ago. Greg Ott, vice president for Georgia and Alabama at UnitedHealthcare, stated that the partnership was driven by a shared commitment to expanding access to routine eye care. The program utilizes mobile clinics to bring screenings, exams, and corrective lenses directly to school campuses. This model eliminates the transportation and financial obstacles that often prevent families from seeking medical attention for their children’s vision needs.

During the Oct. 21 event, students from kindergarten through fifth grade participated in a group distribution. Each child selected their own frames before their prescriptions were finalized. The students opened their cases simultaneously and tried on their new eyewear. Ott attended the ceremony and observed the immediate reaction of the children to their new glasses.

Ott noted that several students expressed surprise at the clarity of their new vision. "Some of the kids actually saying to me and others like 'I can finally see' or 'I didn’t realize that it could be this clear' was a really touching moment," Ott said. The students also took photographs and decorated picture frames with their new eyewear to take home. Ott described the atmosphere in the room as shifting from initial nervousness to high energy and confidence by the end of the event.

Vision To Learn, a nonprofit founded in 2012, operates in 20 states and Washington, D.C. The organization has provided vision screenings to nearly 4 million children, eye exams to more than 830,000, and glasses to nearly 700,000. Approximately 90% of the children served by the organization live in poverty. The program specifically targets schools in communities where families face financial barriers to accessing health care.

Untreated vision problems can affect a student's educational experience, sometimes without the child realizing their sight is impaired. Ott cited a high school student in the Atlanta area who had been wearing his father’s old glasses. After receiving an examination through Vision To Learn, the student obtained properly prescribed lenses and could read clearly. Ott emphasized that providing appropriate vision care is important for students at all educational levels, from kindergartners to older students.

The current initiative at Dunleith Elementary is scheduled to continue through the academic year, with the goal of serving all 137 enrolled students. The program includes free vision screenings, comprehensive eye exams, and the provision of corrective lenses. UnitedHealthcare and Vision To Learn plan to expand their reach in the metro Atlanta area as they build relationships with additional campuses.

Ott stated that healthcare is delivered locally and that each community faces different challenges. He encouraged families and community members to support organizations addressing local health care needs. The partnership aims to provide students with the tools to approach their classroom environment and academic futures with greater clarity.