Vision through our eyes
The Vision 20/20 Project, a Participatory Science Platform (PSP) initiative, is working towards enhancing vision screening for children. This project, a collaboration between Otago Polytechnic, Otago University's School of Medicine, and Tahuna Normal Intermediate School, has received funding through Otago Science into Action, an Otago pilot of the PSP, and The Curious Minds initiative, funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
The project aims to develop a peer-to-peer vision screening program, addressing the importance of clear vision in learning. Approximately 80% of learning at school is dependent on vision. Reduced vision can cause disadvantages in literacy and numeracy, poor focus, perseverance, and class participation.
Our eyes, fascinating organs that come in various colours, shapes, and sizes, play a crucial role in our daily lives. They take in small amounts of light through the pupil, which opens and closes depending on the light conditions. The light is then focused by the lens and directed to the macula, a part responsible for central detailed vision. The macula allows us to see fine detail and colour.
However, not everyone's vision is the same. Some people need glasses to see better. Myopia, also known as near-sightedness or short-sightedness, causes objects that are far away to look blurry. This happens because the eye is too long or the cornea/lens has too much refractive power, making the focal length shorter than the eye’s axial length. On the other hand, hyperopia, or far-sightedness, causes objects that are close to look blurry while distant objects remain clearer. This occurs when the eyeball is shorter than normal or the eye’s refractive power is insufficient, so the focal point falls beyond the retina.
Vision screening with an optometrist usually involves several types of tests, including the acuity test. In the Vision 20/20 Project, the focus is on creating a program where children can help each other detect vision problems early, making it more accessible and inclusive.
Depth perception, the ability to perceive the world in 3D and judge the distance of an object, is an important aspect of vision. This, along with colour and detail vision, is crucial for daily activities and learning. The Vision 20/20 Project has been supported and funded by multiple organizations, demonstrating the importance placed on improving vision screening for children.
- The health-and-wellness aspect of clear vision for children cannot be overstated, as approximately 80% of learning at school is dependent on vision.
- The importance of maintaining eye-health extends beyond just medical-conditions, as it significantly impacts mental-health, fitness-and-exercise, and nutrition, all crucial components of a holistic health-and-wellness approach.
- The Vision 20/20 Project, in its endeavor to develop a peer-to-peer vision screening program, aims to unify the realms of science, medical-conditions, and health-and-wellness, making vision screening for children more accessible and inclusive.
