Vision Voucher Project for Kids

Four-year-old Darian Rice loves her new, pink glasses. Thanks to the Sight & Hearing Association's Vision Voucher Project for Kids, she received those pink glasses for free. The Vision Voucher Project offers a free eye exam and eyeglasses to uninsured children who are screened through our program. Since the program's debut in 2002, the Sight & Hearing Association has distributed more than 5,000 vouchers to children in need. Before she was screened at her preschool, Darian started exhibiting signs of a potential vision problem. "She was squinting, blinking a lot and sitting real close to the television," said Darla, Darian's mom. Health screeners from the Sight & Hearing Association found her vision was 20/70 in her right eye and 20/40 in her left, with a slight misalignment of the eyes. Darian was referred and diagnosed with astigmatism and amblyopia, commonly called lazy eye. If left untreated, amblyopia leads to vision loss in the weaker eye. To help correct the amblyopia, the doctor prescribed glasses. The first time she put on her new, pink glasses, Darian exclaimed, " I can see everything now! I can see really far."