UnitedHealthcare partners with nonprofit to equip 137 Marietta students with free vision care

Vision To Learn and UnitedHealthcare Vision delivered prescription eyewear to 30 students at Dunleith Elementary School in Marietta on Oct. 21.

The distribution event marked a specific milestone in an ongoing partnership. The two organizations plan to provide glasses to 137 students at the school during the current academic year. This initiative includes free vision screenings, comprehensive eye exams, and the provision of corrective lenses.

Greg Ott, vice president for Georgia and Alabama at UnitedHealthcare, attended the ceremony. He observed students from kindergarten through fifth grade receiving their frames simultaneously. Ott noted that the collective timing transformed a standard medical procedure into a shared social event. He described the moment when children realized their improved sight as deeply affecting.

“Some of the kids actually saying to me and others like ‘I can finally see’ or ‘I didn’t realize that it could be this clear’ was a really touching moment,” Ott said.

Vision To Learn, a nonprofit established in 2012, operates mobile clinics to bring eye care directly to school campuses. The organization states that this model removes transportation and cost obstacles for families. Nationwide, the group has conducted vision screenings for nearly 4 million children. It has performed eye exams for more than 830,000 students and provided glasses to nearly 700,000 across 20 states and Washington, D.C. Approximately 90% of the children served by the organization live in poverty.

Ott stated that the collaboration with UnitedHealthcare began roughly five or six years ago. The partnership focuses on identifying students with undiagnosed vision issues. He cited a specific case in the Atlanta area where a high school student wore his father’s old glasses because his family believed they corrected his sight. After receiving a proper examination through Vision To Learn, the student obtained correctly prescribed lenses and could read clearly.

The organization selects schools in communities where families face financial hurdles in accessing health care. Ott indicated that growing relationships in metro Atlanta may allow the program to reach additional campuses in the coming years. For the students at Dunleith Elementary, the recent event concluded with them taking photographs and decorating frames to take home.

Ott reflected on the long term impact of the program. He emphasized that clear vision is essential for academic engagement and personal confidence. He recalled a message heard during the celebration that highlighted the relationship between sight and aspiration.

“It becomes increasingly more difficult to go out and chase down your dreams when you can’t even see them,” Ott said.