Successful school optometry project should continue

At the end of the school year, Gov. Mike DeWine attended an event at Dublin City Schools elementary school, during which he did a countdown that ended with several young students putting on their prescription glasses for the first time. It was the lead-in for DeWine to talk about the expansion of the OhioSEE program. And, for those of you who remember what it was like to put on glasses and see clearly for the first time, likely quite an effective one. According to a report by the Ohio Capital Journal, OhioSEE has so far administered approximately 1,900 eye exams, with nearly 1,200 students receiving glasses. The idea now is to expand it to cover as many students as possible statewide. Ohio is receiving more than $200 million from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the Rural Health Transformation Program. Some of that money will be used for the OhioSEE expansion. The American Optometric Association estimates 1 in 4 school-aged children have vision problems that could affect their ability to learn. Ohio data from the 2022-23 school year showed at least 35,000 students needed glasses but did not receive them. Given that extreme screen time can also cause eye strain and contribute to short-sightedness, the problem may only grow. The Capital Journal reported the state estimates the program will serve as many as 14,000 students per year once it is fully implemented. (And, given that the program is in its infancy, surely officials are now looking at how to best serve those students whose prescriptions change rapidly as they grow, too.) It is imperative, then, that state officials ensure funding REMAINS available for the expanded program. The pilot programs have been a fantastic start. Now let's hope those in Columbus can see clearly enough to make sure it is sustained.