See well study better

Since 2018, the Italian MEI Foundation has offered students of the João Paulo II Educational Centre an important vision care project.

The project initially consists of making families aware of the importance of children’s visual health, which can influence, sometimes heavily, their ability to concentrate and their performance in reading and writing. Children who often report headaches, or who ask to sit closer to the blackboard, are potentially in need of visual health care.

In 2018 all students and employees of the João Paulo II Educational Center were included in the project and in 2019 it was extended to new after-school and sports centre members.

The project involves an eye examination and, when necessary, the provision of glasses with prescription lenses. Humano Progresso Association collaborated in partnership with an ophthalmology clinic in the city of Salvador to carry out the visits.

The project envisages that groups of children are accompanied by a responsible adult to the clinic on the day of the visit to undergo the necessary eye screening tests. At the end of the visit, the parents and the institution receive the diagnosis and the possible prescription for glasses.

For children who need it, the project involves the production of lenses and the choice of a frame, right inside the headquarters of the Centre. Graduated lenses and frames are provided by the MEI Foundation’s headquarters in São Paulo. On the day of the choice of the frame, the Centre turns into an Optics store, thanks to the support of the “A Fabrica” Optics, which provides its professionals and the tools necessary to measure the frames, to manufacture the glasses and then to return them ready for delivery to the families, within a week.

SEE WELL, STUDY BETTER

PROJECT DATA

2018

304 eye exams and routine exams

20 additional exams

146 glasses manufactured

2019

125 eye exams and routine exams

53 glasses manufactured