Iowa third graders to receive free eye exams

August 26, 2010

Third graders that attend schools in the Bettendorf, Iowa, district will be receiving free comprehensive eye exams and, if needed, free eyeglasses, following the school board's approval of a new program known as See to Learn, according to the Quad-City Times.

The project is one of several run by the See Life Clearly Foundation, which promotes healthy vision. Through the agreement, the group will gain access to standardized test scores, allowing them to analyze the link between childhood vision and successful learning.

Though students in the district already receive free eye screenings, Dr Amir Arbisser, chairman of See Life Clearly, told the news source that children are in need of exams that are more in depth. He added that children who pass these tests may still have vision problems.

"Parents end up saying, 'That's terrific, my kids don't need glasses,' but the child may not be able to sustain their focusing efforts for learning and reading and may be burning out," he told the news source.

According to the American Optometric Association, children of school age should visit the eye doctor for a full eye examination at least once every two years in order to diagnose any vision problems.