Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine will receive a national award for his efforts to expand vision and eye care for children across the state.
DeWine is set to receive the 2026 Bonnie Strickland Champion for Children's Vision Award from the National Center for Children's Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness, a volunteer eye health and safety organization.
According to the organization, DeWine is being honored for helping create and expand the Ohio Student Eye Exam program, known as OhioSEE, which provides follow-up eye exams and glasses for children who fail school vision screenings.
Here's what to know.
Why is Gov. Mike DeWine being honored for OhioSEE program?
The governor secured $25 million through Ohio's Rural Health Transformation Fund to expand OhioSEE statewide and create additional ways for children to receive
eye exams, according to the announcement.
In 2024, DeWine created the Children's Vision Strike Force to address gaps in follow-up care for students who failed school vision screenings. The group's work helped lead to the Ohio Student Eye Exam program, known as OhioSEE, which provides eye exams and eyeglasses to children across Ohio.
"When my wife, Fran, and I learned that only 1 in 4 kids actually receive comprehensive eye exams and follow up vision care that they need, we knew we needed to help find a solution quickly," said Governor DeWine in a release. "OhioSEE brings vision care directly to the child in their school, so no child is missed."
In its first year, the OhioSEE program provided comprehensive eye exams to about 1,900 children and free eyeglasses to roughly 1,200 students, according to Prevent Blindness.
Amy Pulles, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness Ohio, said in the release that DeWine's work highlights what can happen when a governor prioritizes children's vision care and helps turn proven approaches into a funded statewide program.
These Ohio counties participate in DeWine's OhioSEE program
OhioSEE is available to public school districts, community schools, and non-public chartered schools in the following counties:
- Allen
- Butler
- Clark
- Clermont
- Cuyahoga
- Erie
- Franklin
- Guernsey
- Huron
- Jackson
- Lorain
- Mahoning
- Marion
- Montgomery
- Ross
Students at schools participating in OhioSEE can receive vision screenings, comprehensive eye exams, prescription glasses and referrals for additional care if needed.
When is the award ceremony for Gov. DeWine?
The award will be presented at a virtual ceremony on Sept. 11, 2026 at 10 a.m. ET.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mike DeWine wins national award for children's vision program OhioSEE
