Marvin Gaye’s classic hit describes my thoughts and feelings about many things wrong in our world today. Where is love, peace, and doing what’s right? Children suffer enough from crime and abuse. Hidden vision problems doesn’t need to be one more.
Amblyopia (lazy eye) is the leading cause of vision loss in children and young adults. Vision screenings do not diagnose amblyopia or any other eye or vision problem. Why are vision screenings promoted? What’s going on?
5 DPT or DPaT doses; 4 Polio doses; 1-4 Hib doses; 3 Hepatitis-B doses; 2 Measles doses; 2 Varicella doses; 1 Mumps dose; and 1 Rubella dose. These typical vaccines are required for all children starting kindergarten. Experts estimate learning in school is 80% visual. Why aren’t eye exams by an eye doctor included? What’s going on?
Federal bill H.R. 577 wants to spend 65 million dollars on vision screening referrals. National Eye Institute’s VIP Study reports vision screenings failed to refer 32 to 63% of vision problems. Why are ineffective programs continued? What’s going on?
Illinois is the only state with a vision screening disclaimer or “Amy’s Law.” Kentucky, Missouri, and Illinois are the only states with required eye exams for children starting school. North Carolina passed the same law in 2005 but it was repealed the next year. The Department of Public Health (DPH) hasn’t approved the rule for Illinois’ new kindergarten requirement. Is this the 1800′s or the 21st century? What’s going on?
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), and American Association of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS) denounce optometric vision care and vision therapy. Published in a Position Paper in 1972, 1981, and 1998, medicine advocates vision screenings and ignores the evidence of the link between vision and learning, and classroom struggles. Why are these medical doctors misleading parents, educators, and legislators? What’s going on?
Thank you Marvin Gaye and the MTV All Stars for this great song. I agree with you.
What’s going on?
There IS a better way.
Help us raise the standards of eye care. Join the Kids Eyes Count email list here.
For more information on “Amy’s Law,” eye exams, and vision screenings, please visit the Vision First website.
Copyright (c) 2009 Vision First Foundation. All rights reserved.
Today I received my first petition feedback for “CHANGE We Need in Eye Care.”
Wanted to share this great comment with you. I don’t know who this person is but I hope he/she joins our Campaign! Every word is true…
“Janet, How important a petition and cause this is. How many children have undiagnosed vision problems that keep them from learning, setting them up for lifetime of feelings that they are stupid and a failure. How one simple thing such as a complete vision testing could change a child’s life and help promote self-esteem.”
By: visionfirst on February 2, 2009
at 12:20 am
Eye care is an absolute must for children. It is so important for their development and some problems can be corrected if caught in time.
Good luck, Janet in this important quest of yours.
By: Barbara K on February 2, 2009
at 11:53 am
I wonder why inadequate vision screenings are thurst on our children and yet for good health, government makes sure the children are protected from many diseases by requiring numerous vaccines.
I agree with you, Janet. What’s going on?
By: Cecilia on February 2, 2009
at 1:35 pm
No second thought especially in the developed world for early eye screening. Spending billions by USA in Iraq & now Afghanistan, why not a few million on this early screening at KG level. I belongs to Pakistan where like other third world nations we have even the education and feeding issues. Not know how much centuries to attain a bare minimum.
Wish you all the best Janet…
By: Shahid Latif on February 3, 2009
at 4:05 am
Our children are the future and they deserve basic health care!
By: R. Fixx on February 3, 2009
at 5:15 am
Thanks for all you do for the children Janet.
By: Joycey Berry on February 3, 2009
at 7:50 am
Thanks Janet
From my grandchildren and myself keep up the great work.
By: Judith on February 3, 2009
at 5:24 pm
For the life of me, I cannot understand why it takes so long to get signatures on petitions that concern children, when other petitions that concern bringing a dog/pet home from war zones gets all plus many more signatures in a short period of time. What is wrong with people? Are they not telling the truth when they say their children mean everything to them??? It’s a balance act, sign for the critters, but also sign for the children!
By: Larry Schauff on February 4, 2009
at 9:47 pm
Thanks Barbara…eye care IS a must for children; and vision screenings don’t count as eye care!
Cecilia…I ask myself the same question, “Why is vision neglected?” My school mailed the sixth grade health packet for next year’s required physical. My daughter needs a health exam, blood work, updated shots, AND a dental exam, but NO eye exam was even RECOMMENDED. What is going on? And this is MY school district where I’m the parent behind Amy’s Law!
Shahid…thank you for your comment. My heart goes out to your country of Pakistan where you have education and feeding issues. I don’t understand why America spends billions on war yet America is pushing vision screenings! Even children in third world countries deserve eye exams. I wish you and your country all the best. I hope VOSH can help provide free eye care to your country. They are a wonderful group!
R. Fixx, Joycey, and Judith…thanks for your affirmations!
And Larry…I agree with you completely. I don’t understand WHY this is so difficult to get signatures on petitions for children. Perhaps the public is blind to how important this really is? I hope to shed light on the truth. Thanks for your support. Together we will open people’s eyes!
By: Janet on February 6, 2009
at 9:56 am
Janet…YOU are the bomb!!!!
By: Phyllis on February 9, 2009
at 9:43 pm
Dear Janet!
Its incredible that you do not get more support for your great cause! You deserve much more support but I cannot get people motivated to join the group in Facebook! I have started many causes and groups both in Care2 and Facebook but Visionfirst is the most difficult cause…. People dont see the problem thats the problem they think that EYE CARE IS OK IN THE USA and the rest of the world….
As long as you cannot show that there is a big problem if we dont change eye care people will not sign the petition!
Take a look at my poor wolf petition against Turkey people understand that this is a problem and that we cannot accept it..! Accept for the WSPA the world society for the protection of animals who think that this poor wolf is none of their business…..many videos are fake..is the answer….
You should make sure that people see the problem…CHILDREN ARE THE FUTURE
NO GOOD EYE VISION = NO GOOD FUTURE…
You are competing with one million causes….
And they dont receive the message…people who receive the message…act and help you! I am sure of that!
Good luck I have posted this on my profile but you should use the add it button I have the share on Facebook button in my browser….many people dont have that so they need the share it button to share your cause!
Do you know mycause.com? You need all the social networking sites to get to 5000 signatures!
Namaste
Hans
By: Hans Lak on February 21, 2009
at 5:09 am
Good Luck in all you do.
By: blackcat on February 21, 2009
at 1:31 pm
Thank you for caring about children’s eyesight, Janet. Your dedication to helping children in this way reminds me of a quote by my hero, Dorothea Dix, the woman who was so effective in delivering mental patients from jails and prisons in the 1800′s and was responsible for most of the first mental hospitals America built: Ms. Dix said:
“In a world where there is so much to be done, I felt strongly impressed that there must be something for me to do.”
Thanks for applying yourself to do something very positive to help others. May God bless you with good success!
Mary Neal
Assistance to the Incarcerated Mentally Ill (Google it!)
By: Mary Neal on February 21, 2009
at 1:47 pm
We have to all pull together and we shall win in the end. We will make it an issue and make it a priority
By: Sally Ann Gray on February 21, 2009
at 3:01 pm
Jan-
Keep doing what you’re doing.
By: karen on February 21, 2009
at 3:31 pm
Janet, I signed your wonderful petition
Never surrender
you’re doing a great job
Birdie
# 125: on the petition
By: Birdie on February 21, 2009
at 7:53 pm
Signed all three petitions, just wish I could do more
Take care! hugs.
By: Aletta on February 21, 2009
at 8:36 pm
Children are the future so why not invest in that. All children should be given the best possible start. If we ensure that they have a basic need like good eyesight then they can look at the world they live in. Study at school with out developing problems associated with eyesight which may set them back. IN that way if they have early any eye problems it can be diagnosed ad dealt with early.
By: Lily K. on February 22, 2009
at 5:16 am
Children’s eye sight is important allow our little one’s free eye tests
By: Elaine on February 22, 2009
at 2:17 pm
All signed.
Keep on doing what you’re doing Janet and we are here to help in anyway we can.
You are awesome!
By: Sara Stevens on February 23, 2009
at 8:22 am
LOVE
By: Teresa S.S. on February 23, 2009
at 1:10 pm
[...] What’s Going On? [...]
By: Good News & Bad News « Janet’s Journal, a Vision First blog on April 13, 2009
at 11:25 pm
You really have to wonder why legislatures and school boards do not realize the need for full and comprehsive eye examinations for every child – that is, every child – entering school. At that early age problems and conditions can be discovered and corrected – wherein, later in life the problems can be discovered but often it is too late to correct them. We all have one set of eyes to last a lifetime – we must guard them well.
By: Irving Bennett on April 14, 2009
at 6:10 pm
[...] What’s Going On? February 1, 2009 Janet’s Journal took a new spin in February. Read about my concerns while listening to a great song. Listen and read here… [...]
By: Janet’s Top Posts 2009 « Janet’s Journal, a Vision First blog on December 29, 2009
at 12:52 am