It has been said the “eyes are the windows to the soul,” meaning you can understand a person’s emotions and sometimes thoughts by looking into his or her eyes. At Northern Plains Eye Foundation (NPEF) we offer a different perspective – that the “eyes,” or more specifically eye health, are linked to a person’s overall well-being, success in school, employability, and independence, especially as individuals grow older.

Our messaging through outreach programs such as the Children’s Vision Screening Initiative (CVSI), VisionCARE, and Gift of Sight, advocates that infants and toddlers need their vision checked, preschoolers should have their eyes screened before starting school, and school-age children have vision checks on a regular basis because eyes change as kids grow. For adults, an annual comprehensive eye exam is important not only to protect vision and overall eye health but may also provide clues that warn of underlying health issues elsewhere in the body.

For many of us, an annual eye exam is routine, often a “no-brainer.” But for countless low-income working-age adults and vulnerable populations, significant barriers exist in access to vision care. Often an eye exam and prescription glasses are financially out of reach, and, in many instances, government-funded and private healthcare do not offer low-cost basic eye care, such as an eye exam and prescription glasses.