News

NCCVEH at Prevent Blindness Establishes Children's Vision Equity Alliance

Nov. 23, 2021 — The National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness (NCCVEH) announced it is working with leading stakeholders to establish the Children’s Vision Equity Alliance (CVEA).
 


The alliance will work to advance equity in children’s vision and eye health through education, access, polices, and partnerships. NCCVEH has shared CVEA’s goals, including fostering education about the role of vision in the learning, health, and development of children in the target population of underserved communities of color, beginning with a social media campaign to educate targeted populations; advocacy for policies and practices to support equitable access to vision care for children; establishing partnerships to support healthy vision and eye health equity for children; and continuing to attract leaders from the fields of ophthalmology, optometry, public health, school nursing, early childhood care and education, medical care, and parent education and engagement who work toward health equity.
 
Prevent Blindness shares that according to a recent report from the NCCVEH, “Children’s Vision and Eye Health: A Snapshot of Current National Issues, 2^nd Edition,” children experiencing health and socioeconomic inequities have lower rates of vision testing, experience disparities in visual impairment, and have reduced access to care. Latino and Black/African American children are two to three times more likely to have unmet vision needs, shares the organization.
 
“Since our founding in 1908, Prevent Blindness has worked to ensure all children have the eye care access they deserve to enjoy healthy vision across their lifetimes,” says Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. “Through the new Children’s Vision Equity Alliance, coordinated by our National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness, we are working collaboratively with leaders, stakeholders, and advocates to make sure we evolve and grow to effectively and strategically respond to the needs of families in underserved populations and communities.”
 
Learn more about CVEA here.