New Zealand’s first dedicated school vision bus, Celia, is set to launch within weeks, bringing free eye exams to children who would otherwise go without.
Celia, a converted 30-seater transport van, will be staffed by optometrists visiting schools across Auckland, said Sarah Corson, CEO of the Painga Project, the South Auckland charity behind the initiative. Established five years ago, the project’s objective is to support low-decile schools. “It’s very hard to learn without your hearing and vision,” said Corson.
The service follows an extensive vision-screening programme that found 30% of primary school children in South Auckland needed referral for optometric care. With Celia’s arrival, the team will screen and provide two free pairs of glasses – one for school and one for home – to those who need them.
The Painga Project has already provided hearing and vision screening for children at 40 Auckland schools. “We screened the entire roll at these schools and found 30% failed the tests… and 80% of those needed glasses,” Corson said.
To move from vision screening to a more in-depth solution, Painga enlisted optometrist and entrepreneur Lynden Mason to help establish its own examination bus. Mason, a Painga Project trustee, has supported the project for the past 18 months. “We are never letting him go!” said Corson.
