ACF of Yuma

One in four children experience vision problems. Yet, many schools rely on wall charts to conduct vision screenings— a method that was developed over 100 years ago and is susceptible to human error. With that in mind, many schools seek more modern and less error-prone methods of testing their students’ vision. EyeSpy 20/20, a project of the nonprofit VisionQuest 20/20, is one solution. As the world’s only automated, subjective vision screening method, EyeSpy 20/20 is an interactive video game that instantaneously provides results in both English and Spanish.

Upon learning about this new technology, the Arizona Community Foundation of Yuma and its Board of Advisors invited the United Way of Yuma County to apply for children’s health initiative funds. ACF of Yuma was able to tap into funding from one of ACF’s statewide funds dedicated to specific health outcomes.

Kari Tatar is a Yuma resident and mother to a second grader. Kari had no reason to think her daughter had any vision problems. After learning of the high failure rate among the participants while volunteering to implement the screenings, Kari was motivated to have her daughter screened. Not only did her daughter need glasses, but she also found out she had astigmatism, an eye condition which causes blurry vision at all distances.

EyeSpy 20/20 creates a fun experience for children being scanned, while assessing threshold visual acuity, color vision, and stereopsis accurately and efficiently. In the past year, over 25% of children who participated failed their vision screening, highlighting the need for this type of program to ensure children have access to adequate vision care.

Image courtesy of United Way of Yuma County