The National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness (NCCVEH) is celebrating its 15th Anniversary in 2024. Throughout the year, the NCCVEH will be providing a variety of free resources to parents, partner organizations, and healthcare professionals, in a celebration of its 15 years of raising awareness and providing essential information on the best ways to help put children on the path to a lifetime of healthy vision.
A Timeline of the National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness
2009
The NCCVEH was formed with the receipt of an initial grant from HRSA/The Maternal Child Health Bureau (MCHB). The National Expert Panel was formed.
Grants were issued to affiliates/pilot projects in Ohio, Massachusetts, Illinois, Georgia, and North Carolina to form multi-disciplinary coalitions and develop and implement a uniform statewide strategy for universal vision screening.
2011
2013
2014
Inception of the Bonnie Strickland Champion for Children’s Vision Award.
Three articles published in Optometry and Vision Science: NCCVEH vision screening recommendations for 3-5 year old children, performance measure recommendations, and data collection recommendations.
NCCVEH partners with the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) to develop online vision tool kit Vision and Eye Health – National Association of School Nurses (nasn.org).
2016
Children’s Vision in the U.S. Snapshot Report 1st edition published
2017
2018
2019
2020
Launched the Small Steps for Big Vision Eye Health Toolkit for Parents and Caregivers
Children’s Vision in the U.S. Snapshot Report- 2nd Edition published
Entered into a 5-year contract with the National Center for Health, Behavioral Health and Safety of the Office of Head Start to provide vision and eye health education to Early Head Start and Head Start programs across the U.S.
Launched NCCVEH eNews
2021
Launched a workgroup of the NCCVEH to address the vision health of children with special health and learning needs and launched the first of a 3-part webinar series, reaching more than 1,550 professionals and parents.
Co-authored “A Comprehensive Review of State Vision Screening Mandates for Schoolchildren in the United States,” published in Optometry and Vision Science.
Advocated for new vision questions for the National Survey of Children’s Health capturing referrals to eyecare and examination by an eye doctor for more robust surveillance of children’s vision and eye health
2022
2023
Collaborated with CDC’s Center of Excellence in Newcomer Health, Association of Clinicians for the Underserved, the National Association of Community Health Centers, National Family Support Network, Office of Head Start, National Eye Institute’s National Eye Health Education Program, and the School-Based Health Alliance
Monthly eNewsletter distributed to more than 7,000 individuals
“Association of sociodemographic characteristics with pediatric vision screening and eye care: an analysis of the 2021 National Survey of Children’s Health” published in Ophthalmology.
