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Donors - F.A.Q.s How many American children are affected by vision disorders? What is VisionQuest 20/20 seeking to accomplish? How does VisionQuest 20/20 receive support? How does the VisionQuest 20/20 program work? How does VisionQuest 20/20’s program differ from other vision screening methods? Who developed the methodology for the VisionQuest 20/20 program? Has VisionQuest 20/20 been able to implement a nationwide vision screening program? What difference can VisionQuest 20/20 make?
How many American children are affected by vision disorders? Forty million children are vulnerable to a vision disorder, and another five million will suffer vision loss due to a condition like Amblyopia, if undetected. Because disorders like Amblyopia are easily recognized through screenings, a comprehensive vision screening program could ultimately eliminate preventable blindness in children.
What are the costs to the individual, and to society, when vision disorders like Amblyopia are left undetected? Once the effects of Amblyopia have set in, annual costs for individual treatment can range as high as $10,000. With five million school children expected to suffer due to lack of adequate screenings, total annual treatment costs are estimated at $50 billion. Over an individual’s lifetime, additional social costs are incurred, including disability and other benefits funded by taxpayers and the private sector.
What is VisionQuest 20/20 seeking to accomplish? The mission of VisionQuest 20/20 is to eliminate preventable blindness in children. The organization will fulfill its mission by establishing a nationwide vision screening program for children, thus solving a significant public health issue through education, collaboration and facilitation.
How does VisionQuest 20/20 receive support? As a private nonprofit organization, VisionQuest 20/20 relies on the generosity of individuals, corporations, grant-making foundations and other funding sources to underwrite vision screenings for children. The organization is also supported by its founders, a volunteer board of directors, and three full-time staff members.
How does the VisionQuest 20/20 program work? VisionQuest 20/20 uses automation that dramatically expands the capacity to conduct vision screenings. VisionQuest 20/20’s dynamic method utilizes software technology created by Childsplay Vision Systems. A child’s vision is assessed in a standardized, cost-effective manner while he or she “plays” a two-to-three minute video game. The program is intended for schools, where much of the infrastructure necessary to deliver the screenings already exists, and the largest audience of children can be reached.
How does VisionQuest 20/20’s program differ from other vision screening methods? Because the vision screening program proposed by VisionQuest 20/20 is based on an automated approach, it is far more cost-effective than traditional screening techniques, and can be implemented on a national scale without relying on masses of volunteers. VisionQuest 20/20’s program costs $5 per child, compared to other programs that range from $10 to $75 per child or more, and the screening process itself is accurate, accessible and fun for children.
Who developed the methodology for the VisionQuest 20/20 program? The organization’s founders have worked tirelessly to establish a feasible program, employing eight critical steps, to bring annual vision screenings to every elementary school child in America. Founders James O’Neil, MD, a pediatric ophthalmologist, and engineers Charles Tardibuono and Richard Tirendi, are delivering this program through VisionQuest 20/20. The organization is now identifying partnership opportunities with numerous entities and individuals to bring charitable vision screenings to elementary schools across the nation.
Has VisionQuest 20/20 been able to implement a nationwide vision screening program? While the programming logic to implement a nationwide effort exists, VisionQuest 20/20 is currently conducting demonstration projects in Arizona and South Carolina, underwritten by grants and other donations to the organization. Since September 2007, more than 20,000 children in 145 schools have been screened, and the results of the demonstration projects will contribute to a strategic plan for nationwide implementation. Adequate funding and support from partners will be key requirements to establishing a nationwide vision screening program.
Because VisionQuest 20/20 is a nonprofit organization, it is governed by a volunteer board of directors, with representatives from the private sector, health care, education and the community at large. Day-to-day operations are managed by Elizabeth Reich, chief executive officer, with active participation from Gretchen Fuller, program director, and Cathryn Viteri, program administrator. Consultants with expertise in development and grant funding, and public relations and marketing, also assist the organization.
What difference can VisionQuest 20/20 make? In addition to providing a service that will result in dramatic cost savings, VisionQuest 20/20 can help children live more productive and happy lives by ensuring their vision health is protected. By detecting treatable vision disorders in children, VisionQuest 20/20 make certain that our country’s most vulnerable population is no longer devastated by preventable optical disease. |
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