A vision realized: trainee leads pilot project to deliver eye care to Indigenous children in Toronto – DLSPH
A study by the Canadian National Institute for the Blind found one-third of Indigenous Canadians have not had an eye exam within the last two years. Moreover, research has shown Indigenous children experience high levels of astigmatism, an irregularity in the shape of the cornea that causes blurred vision. Poor sight has a knock-on effect of making it harder for children to learn as most of the learning in school is based on what a child sees.
Understanding the barriers Indigenous children face in accessing eye care and reducing those barriers is important to Justin Kritzinger, a student in IHPME’s System Leadership and Innovation program. For the program’s capstone project, Kritzinger and his mentors, Drs. Helen Dimaras and Myrna Lichter, have developed a pilot program with Native Child and Family Services of Toronto and the Native Women’s Resource Centre of Toronto to assess the eye health needs of Indigenous children in Toronto.
