ATLANTA – (May 29, 2025) – Prevent Blindness Georgia (PBGA) is proud to bring its innovative Pediatric Eye Care Ensuring Georgia’s Children Reach Their Full Potential Project – also known as the PEEP Project – to Lumpkin County on Saturday, June 7th, offering free, comprehensive pediatric vision care to children in need.
The event will provide free, comprehensive pediatric vision care to children in Lumpkin County – an area where access to eye health care services is extremely limited. Through the PEEP Project, children will receive free certified vision screenings, full eye exams, and two pairs of prescription glasses – one for school and one for home. Those identified with serious eye conditions such as amblyopia (“lazy eye”) or strabismus (“wandering eye”) will be referred to PBG’s statewide network of partner providers for specialized treatment.
“The PEEP Project is designed to meet families where they are,” said Shavette Turner, Vice President of Children Vision Services of Prevent Blindness Georgia. “We work closely with local social workers, educators, and families to deliver care in the way that makes the most sense for the community – whether it’s during school hours, or on a weekend like this upcoming Saturday clinic.”
The need is clear. In 2024, the PEEP Project served children in Fannin County, where over 38% of those seen required additional ophthalmic care, highlighting a critical gap in vision services for rural children. Thanks to partnerships with community partners, local and metro Atlanta vision practices, and schools, PBGA is working to close this gap, one child at a time. On site with us this year will be Georgia Mountain Health who will be completing assessments necessary for Georgia’s 3300 Form needed for entry into school. In addition to the eye exams PBGA is providing, students can receive nutrition, dental, and hearing screenings.
“This work is not just about giving kids eyeglasses – it’s about giving them the opportunity to succeed in school, in life, and in health,” said Jill Thornton, President & CEO of Prevent Blindness Georgia. “Vision care is a building block for both literacy and health literacy.”
This important event is made possible through the generous support of the North Georgia Catholic Foundation, whose grant has enabled PBGA to reach underserved families in Lumpkin County with life-changing eye care services.
This event would not be possible without the collaboration of vital community partners including: Ninth District Opportunity, Inc. (Bonnie Parker), our host, Lumpkin County Head Start and Georgia Mountain Health (Bianca Milan).
PBGA also recognizes and thanks the dedicated doctors providing care at the clinic: Dr. Sarah D. Lee, O.D. MSPH – Pediatric Optometrist, Prevent Blindness Georgia’s Chief Eyeball Whisperer, provider with Thomas Eye Group and the Center for the Visually Impaired, and Dr. Tiffany Jones, O.D. – Pediatric Optometrist with Thomas Eye Group.
We also would like to thank our sponsors for the event: Chris Mannarino, the Owner and Operator of The Eye Stuff Group for providing critical equipment and to Twice Baked Oven and Hood Repair for providing free pizza for all participants at the June 7th clinic.
To learn more about the PEEP Project or the June 7th clinic in Lumpkin County, please visit www.georgia.preventblindness.org or contact Shavette Turner, VP of CVS at [email protected] or 404-273-3379.
About Prevent Blindness Georgia
Founded in 1965, Prevent Blindness Georgia (PBGA) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to preserve sight and prevent blindness for all Georgians. Our goal is to have no Georgians needlessly lose their eyesight from preventable vision loss. We offer an array of services designed to provide a continuum of care at the local level throughout the state for children and economically disadvantaged adults. The organization works to educate and advocate for better eye health and safety and to train others about best practices in vision screening. Through the support of generous donors, Prevent Blindness Georgia offers its services free of charge to those it serves. To learn more, visit: www.georgia.preventblindness.org.
