Vision Correction Assistance Newsletter: Helping Families Access Glasses and Eye Care

Vision referrals that are not followed up on represent a significant gap in student health outcomes. A student who cannot see the board clearly and whose family cannot afford an eye exam or glasses will complete the school year with a correctable problem that affects every hour of instruction. The health office can close that gap by actively connecting families to the assistance programs that make follow-through possible regardless of cost.

Name the specific programs available in your community

General statements that help is available do not result in families accessing that help. Specific program names, phone numbers, and eligibility criteria do. Lions Clubs International has chapters in most communities and provides free eyeglasses for people who cannot afford them. Vision To Learn provides free eye exams and glasses to low-income students in participating school districts. Contact your local Lions Club and any vision assistance programs in your district before writing this newsletter so the information you provide is accurate and current.

Explain Medicaid and CHIP vision coverage

Children who qualify for Medicaid or CHIP typically have vision services covered, including eye exams and corrective lenses. Many families who qualify for these programs do not know that vision care is included or do not know how to find a provider who accepts their plan. A brief explanation and a link to your state's Medicaid vision provider finder addresses both gaps.

Address the process for students waiting for glasses

A student who has been referred and whose family is in the process of accessing assistance may wait several weeks before glasses arrive. Classroom accommodations can help in the meantime: preferred seating near the front, printed materials in a larger font if possible, and teacher awareness that the student is waiting for vision correction. A brief mention of this in the newsletter tells families they do not have to wait in silence while they navigate the assistance process.

Remove the administrative barriers to accessing help

Some vision assistance programs require a referral from the health office. Tell families that you can provide that documentation and explain how to request it. Families who know the health office will actively help them access assistance are more likely to contact you than families who assume the referral was the end of the school's involvement. The nurse who follows through on referrals builds a reputation that results in families trusting the health office with problems beyond vision.

Follow up with families who have not accessed services

A newsletter that reaches all families with a referred student is a starting point. For families who have not responded within four weeks, a direct phone call is more effective. The newsletter explains the programs and reduces the perceived barrier. A phone call addresses the specific family's specific situation and allows you to understand what is preventing follow-through: cost, transportation, time, or unfamiliarity with how to use insurance or public programs.