The start of a new school year is full of promise — new classes, new teachers, and fresh opportunities to learn and grow. But for many children, an unseen obstacle can get in the way of that promise: poor vision.
Uncorrected refractive errors are more common in children than many realize, and their impact reaches far beyond the classroom. Eye care professionals have a special opportunity to help students start school ready to learn, participate, and thrive.
Children should be examined regularly for significant refractive error and vision conditions like amblyopia and strabismus. While many conditions deserve attention, myopia is especially concerning today. Globally, we’re seeing earlier onset and rising prevalence — the so-called “myopia epidemic” — which carries lifelong implications for ocular health, not to mention educational and economic outcomes.
The challenge? Many vision problems aren’t obvious. A child may see “well enough” to pass casual observation yet still struggle to read from the back of the classroom, catch a ball on the playground, or keep up with peers academically. These issues can quietly limit access to learning, sports, and social opportunities.
School-based screenings have had a huge impact on children’s health for generations, but they often stop at identifying that a child “needs further evaluation.” They rarely provide a detailed refractive profile, making it harder for families and providers to follow up efficiently—so problems are identified but not readily solved.
On top of that, children need frequent eye exams — but that’s a difficult requirement for schools, families, and healthcare providers to meet. This means some children’s vision issues aren’t addressed until they’ve already affected their academic and social experiences.
Our handheld autorefractor QuickSee Free Pro is designed to give eye care professionals — and even trained volunteers — the ability to gather highly accurate, detailed refractive data in under a minute. Training is straightforward, with most users ready to deliver clinical-quality results in less than an hour.
Several features make QuickSee Free Pro especially well suited to working with children:
Our peer-reviewed and independent research shows how PlenOptika technology works with children, even in resource-constrained settings:
For busy practices, QuickSee Free Pro’s portability and ease of use mean important time savings without compromising quality. In school or community screenings, it allows high throughput with accurate, actionable results — bridging the gap between identifying a problem and delivering a solution.
As you prepare families for the school year, here are three simple messages that resonate:
Are you ready to learn how to use QuickSee Free / Free Pro effectively? Tell us about yourself and your circumstances and we will reach out to arrange a training session with you.
