March 25, 2024 – Columbus City Schools (CCS) has a longstanding partnership with Nationwide Children’s Hospital to provide health care services to students with difficulty accessing care. This partnership has now been expanded to include vision services at the new Ft. Hayes School-Based Health Center. This expansion aims to offer timely and accessible vision care for affected students by meeting them where they are- at school.
"Eighty percent of what we learn is through our eyes and vision," said Dr. Kari Cardiff, Director of Optometry for Nationwide Children's Hospital. “How can you learn and do what you need to do academically if you can't see well?"
The access to comprehensive vision care provided by Nationwide Children's Hospital enhances the CCS whole child initiative by removing physical 
health care barriers to increase academic success.
One barrier Ft. Hayes School-Based Health Center works to alleviate student wait times by offering comprehensive eye exams conducted by Nationwide Children's Hospital optometrists. After the exams, students can choose their eyeglass frames at the center, and eyeglasses are fitted and distributed at schools to minimize class time disruption. If needed, transportation is provided to the clinic directly from the students home school to ensure equitable access for everyone.
"The first day the vision clinic saw nine children, eight needed glasses," said Dr. Carole Sullivan, Director of Health, Family, and Community Services. "That tells you the scope of the need within the District."
Each year, CCS school nurses provide students with free vision screenings in every school across the District. Screenings are essential for the early detection of potential issues, which, if left untreated, could lead to eye conditions like glaucoma, which can permanently damage vision. If a problem is detected, a referral will be provided so students can see an optometrist at the school-based health center at Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center.
Undetected vision problems can hinder a student's progress, leading to reading, writing, and comprehension difficulties. Therefore, the vision center can have an immediate positive impact on students' academic performance.
"One of our first patients, a five-year-old, was extremely farsighted," Dr. Cardiff said. "As a result, the student’s eyes had begun crossing, causing him to have double vision. They could not voice that to their parents but began acting out. He can't see the book because he’s seeing two books. Now, the student can see the book. Giving that child glasses helped to improve their behavioral concerns."
Students referred to the vision program are transported to the Nationwide Children's Hospital school based health center and each student will be provided with breakfast or lunch accommodations as needed from the CCS food services team. This is really a remarkable collaboration between CCS health services, transportation department, food services and NCH. All departments are working together to break down barriers and provide our students with these critical services.
"I've never felt so inspired by my job until we came here," said Jennifer Downing, Program Manager. "We are definitely making a difference."
The CCS and Nationwide Children's Hospital partnership underscores the importance of collective efforts in addressing accessibility challenges by promoting collaboration with healthcare and education. Partnerships like these foster a healthier and more equitable learning environment for all students, regardless of their socio-economic backgrounds.
“Kids don't always know that how they're seeing isn't how they should be seeing," Dr. Cardiff said. "If you and I woke up tomorrow with double or blurry vision, we would probably get care or find out what's happening. A kid thinks this is just how it's always been, and this must be normal for me."
By educating families and students on preventative care and about best eyecare practices, CCS and Nationwide Children's Hospital are prioritizing the visual well-being of students. By providing students with the care they need, CCS contributes to a more inclusive and nurturing educational environment, laying the foundation for brighter futures and empowering the community.
