The Vizavance Story in Oklahoma Schools
For nearly 60 years, Vizavance has been a constant presence in Oklahoma’s classrooms, ensuring that a child’s ability to see is never a barrier to learning. From the era of paper ledgers to the age of high-speed digital screening, our mission has remained the same: catching vision issues early so every student has a clear path to success.
To date, our programs have reached over 6.1 million children across the state and referred more than 740,000 students for the follow-up care they need to thrive. Here is a look back at how we grew alongside the technology that changed the world.
The 1960s & 70s: Building the Foundation
Children Screened: 35,176
In our earliest years, screening was a grassroots effort. It was about building relationships with school administrators and proving that a mobile screening program could work. Logistics were handled by landline phones and handwritten schedules, and every record was a physical piece of paper filed in a cabinet.
- Do you remember the launch of… the Floppy Disk? In 1971, IBM introduced the first 8-inch floppy disk. While we were still using clipboards and pens in the hallways of Oklahoma schools, the world was taking its first tiny steps toward the digital storage we rely on today.
The 1980s: Expanding the Reach
Children Screened: 155,109
As the program matured, our reach grew significantly. The 1980s saw a massive increase in the number of children we could serve. This was the era when “data” became a buzzword, and organizations began to see the potential of using basic computer systems to track health outcomes over time.
- Do you remember the launch of… the Apple Macintosh? In 1984, the “128k” Mac changed everything. It brought the graphical user interface to the masses. While we were busy expanding our screening routes, the tools that would eventually digitize our records were just beginning to enter the home.
The 1990s: The Digital Shift
Children Screened: 188,307
The 90s were a bridge to the modern era. We began breaking down our impact by school year, enabling much tighter coordination. This decade saw the internet become a household tool, eventually revolutionizing how we communicated with schools and health providers.
- Do you remember the launch of… Google? In 1998, a simple search engine was launched in a garage. It changed how parents and teachers looked for health information, making it easier than ever for families to understand the “why” behind a vision referral.
The 2000s: Scaling for the Future
Children Screened: 1,495,723
This was the decade of explosive growth. We crossed the 1-million-child milestone as our processes became more streamlined. Technology enabled us to move faster, and the introduction of more automated screening tools enabled us to identify potential issues with greater precision than ever before.
- Do you remember the launch of… the iPhone? In 2007, the world moved into our pockets. The “smartphone revolution” began, eventually leading to the mobile apps and digital communication tools we use today to stay connected with Oklahoma families.
The 2010s: Peak Impact
Children Screened: 3,101,409
The 2010s represent our most impactful decade to date. With over 3 million screenings, we reached more students than ever before. In the 2015-2016 school year alone, we screened a record-breaking 365,158 children. Cloud computing and mobile tablets enabled our teams to capture on-site data and sync it instantly, ensuring no child fell through the cracks.
- Do you remember the launch of… Instagram? Launched in 2010, it turned the world into a visual gallery. As the world became more obsessed with “the image,” our mission to protect children’s sight became more relevant than ever in a screen-heavy society.
The 2020s: Resilience and Innovation
Children Screened (to date): 1,216,866
The current decade has been one of resilience. Despite the massive disruptions to schools in 2020, we have bounced back stronger. Today, we use advanced data analytics to ensure our resources are going where they are needed most, continuing a 60-year legacy of service to the children of Oklahoma.
- Do you remember the launch of… ChatGPT? In late 2022, AI became a household conversation. As we look toward the future, we are exploring how these advanced technologies can help us screen even more accurately and support Oklahoma’s teachers more effectively.
60 Years of Vision
From the first 35,000 children in the 60s to the 6 million we have reached today, Vizavance remains committed to one thing: Advancing Children’s Vision. Technology changes, but the look on a child’s face when they put on their first pair of glasses and see the world clearly for the first time? That is timeless.
