Healthy vision plays an important role in how children learn, develop, and experience the world around them. When vision problems go undetected or untreated, they can affect everything from classroom learning to a child’s ability to participate in everyday activities. 

At Neighborhood Health’s Arlington Pediatric Center (APC), families can now access comprehensive pediatric optometry alongside the medical and other services their children already receive. 

The expansion is made possible in part through a generous grant from the Virginia Health Care Foundation (VHCF) to support a full-time optometrist at APC. We are grateful to VHCF for its partnership and investment in expanding access to vision care for children in Arlington and surrounding communities. 

Convenience is the Key 

APC serves thousands of children, many of whom are covered by Medicaid or otherwise face barriers to accessing vision care. Families may encounter long wait times, difficulty finding providers who accept their insurance, transportation challenges, language barriers, or the need to take additional time away from work. 

Having optometry available where children already receive their primary care can make a significant difference. 

Neighborhood Health’s experience at its other locations demonstrates the impact. At clinics where optometry is available on-site, 75 to 78 percent of children referred by their medical provider followed through with an optometry appointment. Among APC patients who previously had to travel to another Neighborhood Health location for vision care, only 32 percent did. 

Now, when an APC pediatric provider identifies a possible vision problem, the family can access follow-up optometry care in the same familiar health center. 

More Care, All in One Place 

The new optometry program provides preventive vision care as well as diagnosis and treatment of vision problems and monitoring of eye development for children who may be at higher risk. 

The program is part of Neighborhood Health’s broader approach to integrated pediatric care at APC. Families can access medical, dental, behavioral health, optometry, nursing, and case management services in one location. 

For parents, that can mean fewer referrals to navigate and fewer trips to different providers. For children, it means a better opportunity to identify vision problems early and get the treatment they need. 

Better Access to Eyeglass Prescriptions 

We can now help families order prescription eyeglasses for children covered by Medicaid right at the clinic. Previously, parents left the optometrist with a prescription and a list of local places where they could order glasses. For families facing time or transportation barriers, that extra trip often meant a child returned months later still without glasses. 

Now, our team can help families place the order before they leave. The glasses can be delivered to their home or picked up at the clinic, making it easier for children to get the glasses they need to see clearly.