A Timeline of the National Center for Children's Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness

The National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness (NCCVEH) is celebrating its 15^th 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.

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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

Launch of the NCCVEH website

2013

The NCCVEH begins providing technical assistance on systems of care for children’s vision.

2014

The Year of Children’s Vision in partnership with the National Head Start Association, The American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus, (AAPOS) The American Academy of Optometry, and School Health Corporation.

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).

2015

Launch of Star Pupils

2016

Consensus Statement on a Systems-Based Approach to Children’s Vision and Eye Health published.

Children’s Vision in the U.S. Snapshot Report 1^st edition published

2017

Launch of the online Prevent Blindness Children’s Vision Screening Training and Certification Course. Last year, Prevent Blindness and its affiliates certified nearly 7,500 children’s vision screeners, who in turn provided vital vision screenings to preschool and school-aged children around the country.

2018

Publication of 18 Vision Development Milestones From Birth to Baby’s First Birthday

2019

Better Vision Together – Community of Practice launched

2020

Launched the Small Steps for Big Vision Eye Health Toolkit for Parents and Caregivers

Children’s Vision in the U.S. Snapshot Report- 2^nd 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

The NCCVEH established The Children’s Vision Equity Alliance, with multiple partners. This effort continues today, collectively working to advance equity in children’s vision and eye health through education, access, policies, and partnerships.

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

Children’s Vision Forum presented during the Prevent Blindness Focus on Eye Health Summit. 400+ attended/viewed the recordings.

2023

Delivered 18 presentations and webinars on children’s vision and eye health.

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.

Our History