PROVO, Utah — The non-profit Charity Vision was at Canyon Crest Elementary in Provo Thursday, surprising students with a free vision test.
The goal is to make sure all children can see clearly in class. Volunteers gave children a reading test and screening. If they had a difficult time seeing the board, they were then fit for glasses. Experts say not being able to see in class can not only put a student behind, but it can give them low self-esteem when learning.
"They're embarrassed they can't see the letters on the board," Charity Vision CEO Jackson Douglas said. "When you get those glasses on them and to see that excitement — they say things like, 'Wow, I've never seen the leaves on the trees!' or 'I can't believe the mountains!' The excitement you see in their eyes and their personalities is just very rewarding."
In the year 2019 alone, 1.5 million children will be screened by Charity Vision in 26 countries with more than 200,000 thousand children receiving their first pair of glasses.
