New Ohio statewide children’s eyesight initiative inspired by Mahoning Valley program

Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Director Bruce Vanderhoff, MD, MBA, announced the launch of OhioSEE, a new children’s eyesight program created to ensure access to critical vision care and glasses for Ohio students. The initiative was shaped in part by the innovative work of Mahoning Valley nonprofit Sight for All United, which has demonstrated the life-changing impact of in-school vision care.

In 2024, Governor DeWine convened the Children’s Vision Strike Force, which revealed only 26% of students in Ohio who fail vision screenings and need follow-up eye care actually receive it. Based on the group’s recommendations, OhioSEE will close this gap by funding mobile vision vans and in-school eye clinics, removing barriers such as cost, lack of transportation, and provider shortages.

“Children must be able to see clearly in order to read, which is absolutely essential to a child’s learning process,” said Governor DeWine. “By expanding access to vision care in our schools, we can help children succeed in the classroom and beyond.”

OhioSEE will initially serve K-3 grade students in 15 high-need counties identified for having the greatest gaps in vision care follow-up, including Mahoning County. Youngstown City Schools is one of the districts benefiting from this program in the 2025-26 school year. Once fully implemented, the program is expected to reach up to 14,000 students annually.

The program builds upon years of proven success spearheaded by Sight for All United and its partnership with the national nonprofit, Vision to Learn. In the Mahoning Valley alone, these nonprofits have, at no cost to the schools, students or families:

*Screened over 30,000 children in schools *Provided 7,750 eye exams *Distributed more than 5,500 pairs of glasses

“This is a transformative day not just for the Mahoning Valley but for children across Ohio,” said Dr. Sergul Erzurum, President and Founder of Sight for All United. “Our work locally has shown when you remove barriers and deliver eye care directly to schools, you change lives. Now, thanks to the leadership of Governor DeWine, thousands more children will have the chance to learn, read and grow with clear vision.”