DOVER, Del. - As the new school year approaches, dozens of children at the Dover YMCA are getting a clearer view of the classroom.
Vision To Learn's mobile eye clinic stopped at the YMCA Thursday, providing free vision screenings, comprehensive eye exams and prescription glasses to children enrolled in the organization's summer camp. The services are offered at no cost to families.
The nonprofit partners with schools and community organizations across Delaware to bring eye care directly to children, helping families overcome barriers such as cost, transportation and access to providers.
"Our mobile clinic goes to a new location every day, and we partner with local schools and community entities like the YMCA, Boys & Girls Clubs and local libraries throughout the summer to help children have a no-cost eye exam and glasses," said Dr. Patricia Jones with Vision To Learn.
Jones said it's common for the organization to meet children who have never received an eye exam.
"We're seeing a lot of children that have never had access to eye care," she said. "So it's really nice that we can go into the communities and not only provide the exam, but also provide the glasses at no charge."
After completing a vision screening, children who need additional evaluation receive a comprehensive eye exam inside the mobile clinic. If they need glasses, they can choose from several frame styles before the glasses are made and shipped to their homes.
"The child gets to pick out their own glasses," Jones said. "Sometimes it's the first decision that they make about themselves, and it helps them to wear the glasses more because they actually like them."
YMCA leaders say bringing the clinic directly to summer camp makes it easier for families to access care in a place where children already feel comfortable.
"We're incredibly happy to have Vision To Learn out here at the Y," said Kelsey Stevenson, Senior Youth Development Director at the Dover YMCA. "We know that strong communities are built with strong partnerships, so having an organization like Vision To Learn come directly to camp and provide services to our campers in a space they're already comfortable in is really important."
Stevenson said the partnership supports the YMCA's goal of helping children thrive both inside and outside the classroom.
"Having the ability to see and navigate your everyday world is incredibly important for all of us, especially our youth when they're in school, when they're at camp and when they're in any programs that they're a part of," Stevenson said. "Having Vision To Learn come out and be able to provide this to them is really fundamental."
According to Vision To Learn, more than three million children nationwide attend school without the glasses they need to see clearly, creating a barrier to learning. Since launching in Delaware in 2014, the organization says it has provided more than 25,000 eye exams and more than 20,000 pairs of glasses to children across the state.
The Dover stop is part of Vision To Learn's summer partnership with the YMCA of Delaware. The mobile clinic will continue visiting YMCA locations across the state, including the Sussex Family YMCA and the Western Family YMCA, before the start of the school year.
