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The burden of childhood visual impairment and disparities in access to pediatric vision care remain pressing issues in the United States. School-based vision programs (SBVPs) serve as one approach to advancing health equity. Operating at the intersection of schools and healthcare, SBVPs can increase access to pediatric vision services, improve academic performance, and facilitate referrals to community vision care providers. To maximize their impact, SBVPs must tailor their services to the individual needs and resources of local school communities. School nurses, who have strong ties to school health care services and the school community, are trusted partners in building SBVPs. This article aims to facilitate SBVP development, implementation, and sustainability processes by offering guidance for school nurses and other stakeholders who aim to build a SBVP, support local programs, or learn more about how SBVPs operate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: In 2012, Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Department of Public Health partnered together to create the Chicago School‐Based Vision Program (CSBVP). This ongoing, city‐wide program provides school‐based vision services (eye examinations, eyeglasses provision, and eye care referrals) to students with limited access. METHODS: Descriptive analysis of the program operations from 2012 to 2020, including number of students served and exam findings during 2017‐2020, as well as lessons learned and recommendations for reproducing the successes of the CSBVP in other contexts. RESULTS: During its first 8 years, the CSBVP provided eye examinations to over 350,000 students. During the years 2017‐2020, this included 126,238 eye exams and provision of eyeglasses to 73,751 students. CONCLUSIONS: The CSBVP is built upon strong community and school relationships. The program offers vision services, equitably, to all students across the district. The lessons learned through the implementation of the CSBVP may provide guidance for future district‐wide vision programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To compare the vision needs of children wearing and not wearing eyeglasses who failed school-based vision screening. Students aged 4 to 16 years in 41 Baltimore City schools were screened using distance visual acuity (VA) and photoscreening. Students failing screening underwent school-based non-cycloplegic examination. We compared students who were wearing eyeglasses at failed screening with those not wearing eyeglasses with respect to age, sex, right-eye refractive error, right-eye presenting, and best-corrected VA (BCVA). A total of 2176 students failed screening and completed the examination; 94 (4.3%) failed while wearing eyeglasses. Students wearing eyeglasses were older (mean age 10.2 vs 8.8 years, p <.001). Myopia (72.3% vs 46.0%, p <.001), severe myopia, ≥6.00 spherical equivalent diopters (D) (9.6% vs 1.8%, p <.001), astigmatism (66.4% vs 50.8%, p =.004), and severe astigmatism, ≥3.00 D of cylinder (14.9% vs 7.0%, p =.008) were more common in students wearing eyeglasses. The prescription rate was higher for students wearing eyeglasses at failed screening compared with those not (95.7% vs 80.4%, p <.001). About 4% of the children in both groups required referral to community providers for non-refractive pathology, such as strabismus or amblyopia (p =.6). Children who fail vision screening while wearing eyeglasses nearly always needed an updated prescription and had more severe refractive errors than those not wearing eyeglasses. However, the community referral rate was the same for both groups. School-based programs can support children currently wearing eyeglasses that may be incorrect or outdated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]