AT-A-GLANCE

• Interdisciplinary: School Nurses, Teachers, Optometrists.
• Hybrid: Attend in-person or online.
• Participatory: Involving ideas, reflections, and stories from the audience.
• Technology: Introducing cloud-deployed tools to assist schools and optometrists to collaborate.
• Timely: Students need help with their vision today so they can learn tomorrow.

TENTATIVE AGENDA

   8:45 - 10:00
First Topic:  Vision Screenings & Identifying Needs:   Vision screening issues in rural communities, schools and clinics.   Visibility of the issues, care coordination with schools, state-level coordination.  Educating parents and communities about resource needs. 

   10:30- 12:00
Second Topic: Eye Exams: Supporting parents with follow-up plans.  Coordination of care with local providers.  Facilitating eyeglasses and referrals.  Rural Considerations such as distance and finances. 

   12:00-1:30
Lunch (provided for onsite attendees), Student Exhibits, and Networking

   1:30 - 3:00 pm  
Third Topic: Nurturing, Maintaining & Accessing eyeglasses and other needed interventions. How a collaborative team approach can sustain use of needed eyeglasses.  How technology can facilitate At-A-Distance interventions.  Possibilities and realities for improving access in rural areas to reach a sustainable model of school optometry. 

   3:30 - 4:30 pm  
BRING IT TOGETHER NOW:  Now zoom out and look at three topics 1) screenings, 2) exams, and 3) interventions.   What did we learn?  What new ideas come up?  What training and supports are needed to make things happen in your community? Are there research questions that we can consider?  Are there funding opportunities that we can discuss? Other ideas and progress to highlight from today’s discussions? 

A Certificate of Attendance documenting 6 Clock/CME Hours will be provided. 

We’re excited to announce that our event will take place under the auspices of the Optometric Extension Program Foundation (OEPF), a leader in advancing Behavorial neuro-optometric education and vision therapy. Attending optometrists will receive a CE certificate endorsed jointly by Near Vision Institute and Optometric Extension Program Foundation.

Our Story

Ten years ago the first Educating Young Eyes symposium convened at the University of Washington, Bothell. It was attended by teachers, school nurses, attorneys, WA State Supreme Court judges, politicians, optometrists, ophthalmologists, and concerned citizens across our State representing a wide range of diverse communities. The goal was to understand the issues and explore what could be done next to support school children. As a result of the connections made at our symposium and other related efforts, the Washington State legislature ultimately passed Senate Bill 6245 (in 2016) mandating that all public schools screen for near vision issues in addition to distance vision. 

Another milestone was a major grant to the University of Washington to construct a mobile vision clinic to serve WA State schools.  Near Vision Institute - a 501c3 nonprofit - was founded in 2021 and has since provided more than 4,000 school children with eye exams and eyeglasses.

Near Vision Institute / EYE See Clinic's mission is to "Pioneer School Optometry".   Twenty-five percent of school children have vision issues that impact learning according to the Washington Board of Health. Less than 40% of school children referred for an eye exam by a school vision screening program actually get an eye exam and needed eyeglasses. Helping school children with vision issues access eye exams, eyeglasses, referrals, and treatments can be a challenge in all communities, but is particularly difficult in rural settings and provider shortage areas.

We Need Your Support: Better vision for school children takes effort. Referrals for eye exams need to be followed through. Communities need to support school children and their learning efforts.  

This 10-year anniversary symposium is about the human dynamics and interactions that make it possible to reach as many school children in need as possible.   We need your expertise in this participatory symposium.  Short presentations on various challenges will be followed by an open discussion of practical solutions.  Everyone should come home with more insight into how they can help facilitate better access to eyecare solutions for school children in their communities.

Together, we can pave the road towards sustainability!

Also.....Let's party for Kids Vision!   On Friday, November 8th at 7 pm to 9 pm Near Vision Institute is hosting the Vision for Kids Party and Fundraiser.  In-person attendance or tune in to our livestream.  For more information and tickets, please visit

https://givebutter.com/7MTPGG

www.EYESeeClinic.org   info@eyeseeclinic.org   425-354-3998

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