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Nazier Rufe, 11, reads an eye chart during a Penn State Health Vision Clinic at the Lebanon Free Clinic.<\/p>\n
\tPenn State Health\u2019s free vision clinics help local students see \u2013 and succeed<\/p>\n
When 11-year-old Nazier Rufe left school with new glasses on a spring afternoon, he immediately FaceTimed his mom to show her how the frames fit his face.<\/p>\n
May 4, 2026Penn State Health News\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Seeing his excitement through the screen, Ashlynn Rufe of Lebanon thought about what might come next for her son \u2013 new success in school and basketball, a sport he\u2019s played since he started walking.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn basketball, you need to be able to see the scoreboard, players and the court,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Nazier is also a good student. \u201cHe won the spelling bee last year, but not this year,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019ve been wondering if maybe he\u2019s sitting too far back and can\u2019t read new words on the board as well as he used to.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nazier is one of about 60 students to receive free eye exams and glasses each year through a collaboration between Penn State Health<\/a>, the Lebanon School District and community partners like the Lebanon Free Clinic. The program is funded by Highmark. Since 2018, it has helped reduce barriers to eye care and boost achievement for students in communities with fewer resources.<\/p>\n Nazier was overdue for an eye test and a new glasses prescription. Ashlynn\u2019s work schedule as a single parent made scheduling appointments difficult. Without vision insurance, the cost of eye care was another obstacle.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m happy, thankful and grateful that my son participated in this program and was able to get a free pair of glasses,\u201d Ashlynn said.<\/p>\n Hold cursor over image below to reveal photo gallery controls.\u00a0<\/p>\n The program begins at school, when students don\u2019t pass routine vision screenings. Teachers also alert school nurses about students who have trouble seeing in class. Some students squint, complain of headaches or have trouble focusing.<\/p>\n Toni Henning, nurse coordinator at the Lebanon School District, refers these students and their parents to Tara Simmons, a community health nurse at Penn State Health.<\/p>\n Simmons coordinates no-cost optical exams for students three times a year. The Lebanon Free Clinic in downtown Lebanon lends their space for these events.<\/p>\n When students arrive, they receive a Spot Vision screen, which detects problems like nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. A technician then checks their distance vision, color, depth perception and eye pressure. An eye doctor examines the child\u2019s overall eye health and glasses prescription.<\/p>\n If the student needs glasses, an optician fits them for the frames of their choice from dozens of styles at the clinic. Within three weeks, the free eyeglasses are delivered to the child\u2019s school.<\/p>\n \u201cThis program can give kids a foot through the door to more consistent eye care,\u201d said Dr. Megan Ruben<\/a>, an ophthalmologist at Penn State Health who volunteers at the clinic. \u201cIt\u2019s free, local and reduces barriers to care when it\u2019s in their community and coming right to them.\u201d<\/p>\n Catching problems early<\/p>\n Most children in the vision screening program simply need new glasses, but some have more serious eye health issues. Simmons connects those children with Penn State Health ophthalmologists for follow-up care.<\/p>\n \u201cWe saw a child last year who was blind in one eye,\u201d Simmons said. \u201cNobody knew until he came here.\u201d<\/p>\n The elementary and middle school years are critical for catching and correcting amblyopia, a visual disorder that affects 2% to 5% of kids. In amblyopia, the brain favors one eye, causing poor vision in the other.<\/p>\n \u201cIf a glasses prescription isn\u2019t provided or a muscle alignment isn\u2019t corrected, amblyopia can lead to permanent rewiring of the brain that prevents that child from having binocular function \u2013 the ability to use both eyes simultaneously,\u201d Ruben said. \u201cThis can affect their depth perception, their ability to see, and eventually, to drive.\u201d<\/p>\n Studies have consistently shown that the earlier amblyopia is detected and treated, the greater the likelihood of success. Ruben\u2019s team is researching how socioeconomic factors may contribute to unresolved amblyopia in children \u2013 helping improve early intervention.<\/p>\n Megan Reardon, right, a Penn State Health ophthalmic technician, checks Nazier Rufe\u2019s eye pressure during the Vision Clinic.<\/p>\n Building confidence in the classroom<\/p>\n Awanda Robles, 18, was referred for a vision exam by a teacher who noticed she was struggling to see the whiteboard in class.<\/p>\n \u201cI have a hard time seeing things from a distance,\u201d Robles said. \u201cMy friend will point at something, and I\u2019ll be like: \u2018What are you pointing at? I can\u2019t see that.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Without vision insurance, she didn\u2019t think getting glasses was possible until she learned about the clinic. Now, she looks forward to seeing better as she finishes her senior year of high school and completes the medical assistant program at Lebanon County Career and Technology Center.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen kids receive new glasses, they can see instructional materials clearly,\u201d Henning said. \u201cTheir reading fluency, comprehension, confidence and behavior all improve.\u201d<\/p>\n That impact reaches beyond the classroom, helping students discover their strengths and opportunities.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen kids can learn, they can find out where they belong in the world,\u201d Simmons said.<\/p>\n For Ruben, offering free children\u2019s eye exams is an easy decision.<\/p>\n \u201cWith just a little bit of our time, we can make a huge impact on a child\u2019s trajectory in life,\u201d Ruben said.<\/p>\n Expanding access to quality health care is a key part of Penn State Health\u2019s commitment to advancing health equity. Learn more<\/a>\u00a0in the Penn State Health Community Health Needs Assessment and Implementation Strategy.<\/p>\n![\"Vision](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/55249093890_c18a091e75_h.jpg\")
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\nHelp starts at school<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/CR-JP-040226-vision-screenings-3_1200x800-1024x683.jpg\")
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