An eye-opening opportunity for the students at Nipisihkopahk Elementary School took place in Maskwacis last week.
From April 28 to May 2, more than 600 students in grades K to 6 from the Maskwacîs Education Schools Commission (MESC) received eye exams and glasses at a vision clinic organized by the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation, LensCrafters, Operation Eyesight Universal, and MESC.
The collaboration aimed to ensure that Maskwacîs students have access to vital vision care, supporting their educational success and overall well-being.
Heather Littlechild, the Coordinator of Inclusive Education with MESC, says that prior to the vision clinic, 1,200 students were pre-screened for vision testing, and it was discovered that more than 600 students needed to see an optometrist, so they decided to bring the clinic to the school.
“We had a hundred kids through the first day,” says Littlechild on the clinic.
Children from the school were registered at a front table and then went station to station completing different visual tests.
The standard eye chart, then colour and depth perception tests came first.
Next, kids moved on to checking their overall eye health and prescriptions with team members from OneSight and Operation Eyesight.
Children who needed glasses were able to choose their own pair, and had the lenses completed on-site.
More difficult prescriptions were done off-site and delivered at a later date.
“Now they have the tool to be able to see, which will now improve their learning; and beyond learning, outside of the classroom, as well being outside, being with friends and seeing the world,” says Littlechild about the kids who got glasses.
Children who did not have any prescription did not leave empty-handed.
To continue promoting eye health, they were able to choose a pair of sunglasses to protect their eyes.
The clinic was such a success with the kids that MESC opened it up to any Elders who also wanted their vision checked.
Littlechild comments: “Our Elders are very important to us, and the kids were happy to see the Elders come in as well.”
Littlechild says that the next stage will be aftercare, where the Elders and MESC will collaborate to make resources for the kids on why it’s important to wear glasses if you need them, and how to take care of glasses.
“I think this clinic brings a little bit of how important your eyesight is, and we had a ton of kids going through with a lot of excitement,” says Littlechild.
“We've had stories of students coming in, putting on a pair of glasses and their behaviour changing and then their marks change – it really changes their life.”
Students and Elders who couldn’t be seen at the clinic were still provided the opportunity to check their eye health through a local optometrist that partnered with MESC.
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