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Gwinnett County Public Schools
Gwinnett students to receive free eye exam and glasses from local optometrists

Some Gwinnett County Public Schools students are getting their eyes checked, and receiving free glasses, while also seeing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) in action, thanks to the Georgia Optometric Association (GOA).

On Monday, March 20, and Tuesday, March 21, the VSP Mobile Eye Clinic is scheduled to visit Meadowcreek Elementary School from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. The unit is a fully stocked, state-of-the-art, 45-foot mobile eye exam clinic featuring exam rooms, eyewear displays, and an optical manufacturing lab. Members of the GOA will donate their services to provide free, comprehensive eye exams and eyewear to selected low-income, uninsured, and/or underinsured students.

The time students spend with members of the GOA will also serve as a lesson in STEM.

  • Science – examination of the eyeball and surrounding structures.
  • Technology – use of phoropters and optical equipment to determine vision quality.
  • Engineering – machining of eyeglass lenses onboard the mobile eye clinic.
  • Mathematics – calculations of corrective lens strength and eyeglass frame size.

The entire process should take about an hour.

Optometry, a specialized health care profession employing each of the STEM disciplines, involves examining the eyes and related structures for issues. Doctors of optometry, represented by the GOA, provide communities throughout the state with comprehensive primary eye care services.

  • About 80 percent of a child’s learning at school happens visually.
  • An estimated one in four school-aged children in the United States has an undetected vision problem.
  • When children have undetected vision problems, they can miss out on major portions of their education.
  • The increased use of technology in education means that now, more than ever, it is essential that students see as well as possible in the classroom.

According to the GOA and the American Optometric Association, preschool-age children should receive at least one in-person comprehensive eye and vision examination between the ages of three and five to prevent and/or diagnose and treat any eye or vision conditions that may affect visual development. Every student should receive a full and comprehensive eye examination each year.