School Vision Screening Program: Five Years of Changing Lives

In 2025, the Chiang Mai International Rotary Club’s School Vision Screening Program completed its 5th year of service, continuing its work to help children in local government schools see more clearly and learn more confidently.

What may seem like a simple pair of glasses can make a life-changing difference for a child struggling to see the board, read clearly, or participate fully in class.

This year, CMIRC and Rotary Club Chiang Mai Wattana volunteers screened 898 students in 14 schools, including all eleven Chiang Mai Municipal Schools, Wat Suan Dok School, Ban Sai Kam School in Suthep, and Ban Hua Fai School in San Sai. The report notes that these are schools serving some of the poorest children in the Chiang Mai area.

When screening identified vision problems, students were examined on site by the project optician, prescriptions were written when needed, and children were able to choose their own frames. Within a week, volunteers returned to the schools to distribute and fit the glasses and explain how to use and care for them. The report notes that approximately 80% of the children receiving glasses were wearing them for the first time.

The program also goes beyond basic screening. In 2025, students from previous years were reexamined, and lost or broken glasses were replaced free of charge. Children with more complex eye conditions were referred for specialized care, with treatment fully funded by CMIRC and its donors.

Over its first five years, the School Vision Screening Program has screened 4,037 children and distributed 786 pairs of glasses. The report also found that about 1 in 6 children in the schools served need prescription glasses. It is a powerful example of Rotary service that is practical, personal, and deeply impactful — helping children not only see better, but also learn better and thrive.