Prevent Blindness North Carolina

Fast Facts about Children's Vision in North Carolina

It costs North Carolina $15,299 per year to care for a blind person . . . But it only costs $1.57 to Prevent Blindness with a once-yearly screening for vision problems.

1 in 4 school aged children has a vision problem significant enough to affect their learning.

  • School screenings are North Carolina's principle means of performing pediatric vision screenings.
  • In the 2009-10 school year, Prevent Blindness NC trained and certified over 3,200 vision screeners across North Carolina.
  • Over 527,000 public school children were given vision screenings throughout the state.
  • 38,251 of those children were referred for follow up eye care.

1 in 20 preschool aged children suffers from amblyopia.

  • If amblyopia or “lazy eye” is left untreated until age 6, permanent vision loss will likely occur.
  • In the 2009-10 school year, 24,226 preschoolers were given vision screenings throughout the state.
  • Over 2,200 of those preschoolers were referred for follow up eye care.

Over 1 in 8 North Carolina children are uninsured.

  • Prevent Blindness NC's VSP "Sight for Students" program issued approximately 1,913 vision vouchers for free eye exams and glasses to financially needy North Carolina children in 2009-2010.
  • The approximate program value to North Carolina children is $477,500. Vouchers are donated to Prevent Blindness NC by Vision Service Plan.

North Carolina law requires all children entering Kindergarten receive a vision screening. Children who fail the vision screening must receive a comprehensive eye examination.

  • State funding previously appropriated to provide access to eye exams and glasses for referred children was cut from the 2008 legislative budget.
  • Prevent Blindness NC’s "Donor Docs" program, a volunteer program of North Carolina eye care providers, mirrors the eye care services previously funded through the state’s Early Childhood Vision Care Program.
  • 869 eye exams and 484 pairs of glasses are currently available to North Carolina children in 76 counties.
  • The approximate program value to North Carolina children is $185,000. The cost to North Carolina . . . $0.00.

To find out more about programs and services at Prevent Blindness North Carolina, call 919-755-5044.