Florida Heiken Childrens Vision Program

The mission of the Statewide Florida Heiken Children's Vision Program (FHCVP) is to prevent blindness and provide comprehensive eye health/vision exams and prescription eyeglasses at no cost to financially disadvantaged students in grades Pre-K thru 12. These no cost services are offered statewide, either on-site at schools via four mobile eye clinics or by our network of over 1,000 participating optometrists statewide.

7.5% of low-income schoolchildren receiving a comprehensive eye exam are referred for medical intervention for retinal tears, glaucoma and other eye abnormalities that left undetected could lead to permanent vision loss. Nearly 70% of all children examined through the Heiken program required and received prescription eyeglasses, confirming the importance of a follow-up eye exam after a student fails the state-mandated vision screening.

Funded by the Health Foundation of South Florida, a market research survey was conducted by Eliza Corp of 1,500 families whose child had received prescription eyeglasses during the 2019-2020 school year from our Florida Heiken Children's Vision Program. 77% of respondents reported that their child had improved in school because of the services provided by our Heiken Program and 96% of the respondents found the program valuable.