By: Gabriella Rabaa
On May 5, 2026, in honour of Vision Health Month, CNIB spent the day at Queen’s Park, home of Ontario’s provincial legislature, raising awareness among decision makers about the need for every child to receive a comprehensive eye exam before starting school.
Although annual eye exams for children under age 18 are covered by the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP), only a small proportion of children receive a comprehensive eye exam each year. In 2023, fewer than 10 per cent of four and five-year-olds received a comprehensive eye exam from an optometrist.
Vision plays a vital role in a child’s ability to learn, develop, and succeed. When children struggle to see clearly, they may appear disengaged, fall behind academically, or be misidentified as having behavioural or learning challenges. Without early intervention, children can’t access the treatments and supports they need, which limits their learning and social development with the potential for lasting impacts later in their lives.
The day began with a breakfast reception sponsored by MPP John Jordan, who provided remarks alongside speakers from each major political party, as well as CNIB representatives. The reception was well-attended by officials and staff, who were able to learn more about CNIB, Vision Loss Rehabilitation, and Deafblind Community Services at information tables set up by each organization.
Following the reception, CNIB staff and volunteers spent the afternoon attending meetings with officials to discuss our recommendations to enhance early detection of eye conditions in children, such as including comprehensive eye exams on the kindergarten registration check list and incorporating eye exams into the Infant Hearing Program.
We were pleased to receive significant support and positive feedback from officials and look forward to our ongoing engagement as we continue advancing this initiative.
To support our efforts, we encourage you to read and sign the Charter of Rights of Children who are Blind or Low Vision and share it with your network. You can also learn more about our commitments to children and youth with sight loss by visiting CNIB’s “Our Kids Will Thrive” webpage.