Tomoka Eye Foundation is a 501(c)3 foundation we created to help the needy in our area with vision problems.  Tomoka Eye Foundation raises awareness through education and charitable works. We collect funds and provide educational resources to help local children with poor vision and help with services such as seeing-eye dog services.

The Foundation is committed to the early detection of eye disease through programs such as wellness screenings, lectures and educational books and pamphlets. The Foundation also assists the visually impaired and blind with fundraisers such as “Tea & Biscuits”, which provides financial support to organizations that train of guide dogs. All charitable works focus on offsetting the soaring costs of treating vision loss and eye disease in children and adults in the United States, estimated to be about $139 billion in 2013, according to Prevent Blindness America.

Vision Kits

Amblyopia, also called “lazy eye,” is the most common cause of vision loss in children. Some studies show the prevalence at 2 percent of children.  This condition occurs when one eye has poor vision … if not recognized at an early age and treated (with glasses or patching) this can lead to permanent vision loss in the eye.

The prime time to detect this condition is before the age of 7. Unfortunately, children can’t tell (or communicate) their vision problem.  School screening programs and doctor eye exams attempt to measure vision, but children are challenging to measure and some cases of amblyopia are missed. Poor vision is also associated with poor school performance and issues with confidence and self-esteem.

We created this take home vision chart to give parents another tool to measure their childrens vision at home. Each “kit” consists of a fold-out vision chart and tape to place on the wall.  The kit also has a length of string to measure out the appropriate distance to view the chart, along with an “occluder paddle” and instructions.  These kits are produced at minimal cost (about 35 cents each) and donated in large numbers to local schools.