As families prepare for the school year, make your child’s vision a priority. Youth 17 and younger can receive vision tests and eyeglasses, if needed, under a program between the Baltimore County Public Library (BCPL) and a nonprofit.
BCPL is partnering with Vision To Learn for a sixth year to offer free eye exams, and provide glasses if needed, for youth 17 and younger. The organization is making stops at 17 branches between June and August. If glasses are required, a licensed optometrist will provide further examination. The child is then able to choose from a limited selection of youth and adult frames. The order is processed, and the new glasses arrive within two to three weeks. The entire process, including the glasses, are free to families.
Working together since 2018, skipping 2020 due to the pandemic, Vision To Learn has performed 926 exams and has provided 559 glasses to families in Baltimore County. Students who received glasses significantly improved academic success the following school year, according to a 2021 student from Johns Hopkins University.
How to Register
Pre-registration is required for the visits and because space is limited, the spots are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Families must register in person at the branch of their choice and a parent or legal guardian must sign a consent form, available at the branch. On the day of the program, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. each appointment is 10 to 15 minutes, which includes an exam, glasses selection and equipment cleaning between patients.
Schedule
- Tuesday, July 9, Woodlawn branch
- Wednesday, July 10, Reisterstown branch
- Tuesday, July 30, Randallstown branch
- Wednesday, Aug. 7, Woodlawn branch
- Monday, Aug. 19, Randallstown branch
- See details at https://bit.ly/4bh9PB9.