Evelyn: 2024 Vision Screening Ambassador
Evelyn, a 7-year-old social butterfly, enjoys the outdoors, dance, and time with her dog Rosie and bunny rabbit Oreo. Evelyn’s eagerness to play sports, read books and find joy in her math homework was always consistent; thus, when Evelyn’s mom Sara was notified her daughter did not pass her vision screening at Pewaukee Lake Elementary, it came as quite a shock.
As Evelyn showed no signs of having a vision problem, her 1st grade school vision screening was the first time her eyes were checked, and, using her right eye, Evelyn struggled with the top line of the vision screening chart. Evelyn’s mom immediately scheduled an appointment with an eye doctor for a dilated eye exam where Evelyn was diagnosed with myopia (nearsightedness) and amblyopia (lazy eye) in her right eye. The amblyopia was so severe, she was seeing at 20/400. Because Evelyn had such a drastic difference in how each eye was seeing, her brain star ted to shut off signals to her right eye resulting in her amblyopia (lazy eye). At the eye doctor, Evelyn mentioned she couldn’t see anything out of her right eye; unfortunately, at such a young age, she didn’t realize this was abnormal.
Evelyn was prescribed glasses and is patching in the evening hours each day to regain vision in her right eye. So far, with patching and her colorful glasses, Evelyn is now seeing 20/50 in her right eye!
A school nurse herself, Evelyn’s mom recognizes the importance of school vision screenings for preschool and school-aged children. Sara shares,
“Vision screenings are an incredible tool schools can use to support students’ well-being. Something that can make such a huge impact on a child’s life is so quick and easy to facilitate. Even with being a school nurse, I did not realize my daughter had a vision concern. Vision is so important to maintain academics and kids’ self-esteem; it greatly helps them with their learning and keeps us accountable to ensure they do not fall behind. I think it’s fantastic your organization exists.”
Evelyn’s story embodies the importance of the mantra “vision screen often and vision screen early.” Regular vision screenings are critical for children, especially during the critical growth period between the ages of 3-5 years old. These screenings can catch possible vision concerns that occur as children’s vision changes during these rapid growth years. Simply put, vision screenings save sight and set children up for success in school and in life.
Evelyn is getting used to her glasses and patching. It also helps that her older sister Lauren and her friends wear glasses, too! In fact, at school, Evelyn’s teacher even talks regularly about glasses and how they help some people see more clearly—that everyone doesn’t see the world the same and that is okay. Evelyn is ecstatic to be PBW’s 2024 Vision Screening Ambassador; she made sure the picture she shared with us shows her in her blue floral dress as it matches her dark blue glasses!