A global child eye-health initiative using technology, partnerships and school-based screening to help every child see clearly.
One School at a Time (OSaaT) is a global school eye-health program and mobile screening platform designed to detect vision problems in children early. Trained technicians and school staff use the OSaaT Android app to rapidly test visual acuity, store records digitally, refer children for further care and track outcomes at scale.
The initiative combines healthcare delivery, education impact, research and technology, bringing affordable, high-quality eye care to children wherever they learn.
80% of classroom learning is visual, yet hundreds of millions of children cannot see the board. Early detection rewrites the curve.
of classroom learning is visual
million children with refractive errors
million children live with vision loss
billion children myopic by 2050
Sources: IAPB Vision Atlas; Holden et al., Ophthalmology 2016; UCLA Vision to Learn study. By 2050, nearly half the world will be myopic, and 92% of affected children will live in developing countries.
If we want every child to see clearly, we have to dismantle awareness, access and adoption all at the same time.
Little awareness of the importance of eye health in families, schools and communities.
Over 90% of children with uncorrected refractive error live in developing economies where affordable eye-care is limited.
Social stigma prevents many children from wearing the glasses they need to learn.
OSaaT was created to accelerate and enhance access to eye care services for children globally through scalable, affordable, school-based systems.
Vision screening, eye examinations, spectacles, low-vision services and referrals that are accessible, comprehensive and affordable.
Raising awareness and influencing policy at global, national and local levels with key organisations and stakeholders.
Educating children, parents and teachers about the importance of good vision and the rising risk of myopia.
An Android-first workflow built for technicians and non-specialists in remote and underserved areas.
Government and NGO partners help identify and onboard participating schools.
Each eye is tested separately as the child indicates the direction of the E across multiple calibrated rounds.
An accurate visual acuity score is generated instantly on-device, with no bulky equipment required.
Children below the screening threshold are automatically referred for a full eye exam.
Screening, referral and prescription data syncs securely for research and program reporting.
Spectacles are prescribed and delivered back to the child at school.
Donors, governments and program teams receive transparent, evidence-based impact reports.
Built for ophthalmic technicians on the ground: fast, offline-capable and synced to a secure cloud the moment connectivity returns.
Real programs, real numbers, real children, across three continents and growing. Swipe through each country to see how OSaaT is taking shape on the ground.
Lead implementer: African Eye Institute
Supporters: Berkeley Vision 路 Optometry Giving Sight 路 CooperVision 路 OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation 路 Peek
Partners: ZMT Primary Healthcare Network 路 CBM
Supporters: Berkeley Vision 路 Optometry Giving Sight 路 OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation
Lead: OneSight India, with formal MOUs across three state governments
Supporters: India Vision Institute 路 Sankara Eye Foundation 路 iDrishti Hospital 路 Lotus College of Optometry
A global coalition of founding institutions, funders and program implementers, united around one mission.
The outcome of the first Global Symposium on Child Eye Health (Feb 2025), declaring vision a fundamental right essential to health, education, inclusion and human development.
The Statement aligns with WHO's SPECS 2030 goals to reduce uncorrected refractive error in children globally and provides a foundation for policymakers, stakeholders and communities to advance the child eye-health agenda.
For NGOs, governments, corporates, donors and schools: choose how you want to make a difference.
