# of children screened by FocusFirst during 2024-25:
58,130
Our teams wake up early in the morning and travel extensively to reach all of these children.
# of children who received a failed screening result:
5,793
# of student and community volunteers in 2024-25:
16
Want to be a FocusFirst volunteer? Visit our volunteer page to learn more.
# of childcare centers served in 2024-25:
1,492
Totals Since 2004
# of volunteers
Learn More about FocusFirst
The scariest thing about children having vision problems during their preschool years is that they can’t detect them—so they can’t tell anyone about it. And the most important time to find vision problems is during these early years, when problems can be corrected while visual pathways are still forming. Our FocusFirst film features some of the children we have served during this crucial formative stage of their life.
Frequently Asked Questions
The scariest thing about children having vision problems during their preschool years is that they can’t detect them—so they can’t tell anyone about it. And the most important time to find vision problems is during these early years, when problems can be corrected while visual pathways are still forming.
Our screenings take around 30 seconds to 1 minute per child. It is quick, easy and the interactive sounds and colors help the children focus on the camera.
When we refer your child to Sight Savers America, they will begin reaching out to set up the follow up appointments with you directly. Be on the lookout for calls, texts or emails from Sight Savers America trying to coordinate the follow up appointments.
To become a FocusFirst Volunteer you must complete the online application and we will need to run a background check. Once we’ve received your application, we will send you an invitation to an online orientation to let you know what to expect next.
We would love to come out, you can request a FocusFirst screening by emailing [email protected].
Learn the Value FocusFirst Provides in the Lives of Young Children
Elise
Catching a severe degenerative vision problem early, FocusFirst was able to save the sight of a special two-year-old named Elise.
Jackson
Jackson’s mom had no idea he had a severe vision problem until FocusFirst visited his daycare.
Kaylynn
Kaylynn had a degenerative vision disorder that might have caused blindness without FocusFirst.
Hundreds of thousands of children across the nation suffer from poor vision each year, leading to reduced academic performance, a substandard education, and low self-esteem. We know that vision screenings are most effective during the preschool years, when early identification and treatment of many conditions can prevent irreversible vision damage or loss. Unfortunately, many preschool-age children are known to need eye care, but go without it.This is largely due to two things: poor public awareness about the importance of eye care in young children, and the inability of children to recognize their own vision problems. And for families from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, these problems are exacerbated by financial hardship and lack of access to appropriate medical care.
Plus, many child care centers utilize traditional eye charts to screen their children for vision problems—even though eye charts are a notoriously unreliable method of detecting vision problems in young children, and cannot detect significant problems such as amblyopia (lazy eye) or cataracts. FocusFirst utilizes high-tech screening cameras that can not only detect a much wider range of problems in preschoolers, but are far more time efficient than traditional screening methods and have a significantly higher positive predictive value in 3- and 4-year-old children.
FocusFirst’s Partnership with Sight Savers America
Who is Sight Savers America?
Sight Savers America is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that works to identify and secure the eye care needs of children, from their first pair of eyeglasses to extensive sight-saving treatment and high-tech vision aids for those with severe visual impairment.
How does FocusFirst partner with Sight Savers America?
After FocusFirst has screened a site, any children who failed, were unable to screen, or wear glasses/contact lenses will be referred to SSA for follow up care. FocusFirst connects SSA to the children’s guardians and SSA begins their follow up care process. Sight Savers America states “Each child referred to SSA is assigned a case specialist to manage his/her eye care needs from start to finish. Via multiple calls and letters, initial contact is established with an overwhelming majority of parents/guardians. They are informed of the screening results and educated about the importance of recurrent eye care. We then schedule comprehensive eye exams with local eye care providers, remind parents/guardians of appointments, and arrange transportation as needed. We also coordinate prescribed treatments, all at no cost to underserved families. Insurance coverage is utilized to pay for applicable costs, while costs not covered by insurance are donated as in-kind services by our SSA provider network, or paid out-of-pocket by SSA.”
FocusFirst Funders
