Children’s Vision Strike Force. Photo courtesy of Dr. Shane Foster.
By Shane Foster, OD, FAAO
Feb. 17, 2026
With optometry being a legislated profession, the decisions made in the Ohio Statehouse affect both the optometric profession and my own practice. That is why I advocate for better eye care for the public and am encouraged by the growing awareness and attention to the issue. In particular, recent advocacy efforts in my state surrounding the lack of access to pediatric eye care caught the attention of Governor Mike DeWine, who has long been a champion of children’s health and education. Gov. DeWine has recently partnered with optometrists to hone in on providing children with eye care regardless of hurdles to access like cost, transportation, or lack of parental follow-through. With this collaboration, I’m hopeful we will turn growing awareness into lasting improvements for children’s eye health.
VISION INITIATIVES
During his 2024 State of the State address, Gov. DeWine announced a Children’s Vision Strike Force to strategize solutions to a significant problem identified by the Ohio Department of Health: only one-fifth of our children who fail the state’s mandated school vision screenings proceed to get comprehensive eye exams or have continued care. When follow-through is lacking, children are denied necessary vision treatment and can be mislabeled with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia or other learning disabilities. This masks the true origin of the issue, which I’ve distilled into “Kids can’t read if they can’t see.” This work group provided crucial feedback to the Ohio Department of Health to help guide their next steps in solving this issue and continuing the governor’s mission of improving childhood literacy.
During his budget proposal in early 2025, Gov. DeWine announced the formation of OhioSEE (Ohio Student Eye Exam), a program that would help provide in-school eye care services to children in Kindergarten through third grade. Although the initial $40 million request for OhioSEE was cut to $10 million, that funding will still be crucial in expanding vision services to thousands of children. OhioSEE launched as a competitive grant open to any eligible Ohio organization and awarded grants to Vision to Learn, iSee Ohio (the Ohio Optometric Foundation’s new name under its rebranding) and partnerships with Federally Qualified Health Centers to provide in-school care via mobile units. This helps bridge the access gap between Ohio’s dense metropolitan areas and its remote rural communities.
Most recently, Governor DeWine announced that the State would receive more than $200 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for Rural Health Transformation. The State intends to use a portion of these funds to expand the OhioSEE program into more schools and counties in the years to come.
IMPORTANCE OF COLLABORATION
Momentum from our combined effort is a great beginning to expand access, but we need solid results for continued programming and funding. In my practice, that translates into supporting in-school programs and referrals as well as keeping the message consistent for the public and policymakers. Our legislators understand the importance of this issue and trust the Ohio Optometric Association and the state’s doctors of optometry. Although constrained by budget, legislators see the work we’ve done and want to keep supporting it.
A coordinated effort by optometrists, policymakers and school officials raises awareness of children’s vision health, improves access to eye care and ultimately drives referrals to optometry practices like ours. Although the decades-long process in advocating for children’s vision issues is central to my practice, it’s magical how this collaborative effort allows children’s vision to be a lasting priority.
Read more on patient engagement here.
Read more from Dr. Shane Foster here.
Shane Foster, OD, FAAO is the owner of Capitol Eyes in Columbus, Ohio, Hocking Hills Eye Care in Logan, Ohio, and Athens Eye Care in Athens, Ohio, which was named one of CooperVision’s Best Practices. He is Past President of the Ohio Optometric Association and current President of the Ohio Optometric Foundation, which works to expand access to pediatric eye care for the children of Ohio. He was named OD of the Year by the Ohio Optometric Association in 2025. To contact him: shanefosterod@gmail.com
