Last weekend, Helene Dameris, Director of Global Outreach for KnowTheGlow, shifted her focus from international partnerships to a powerful local effort close to her community. She attended the 6th Annual Backpack Event, hosted by Turning the Wheel of the University of San Diego, where SEE Vision Care (SVC), a program of SEE International, provided free vision screenings alongside the distribution of school supplies.
The backpack event raised over $11,000 and brought together an estimated 300 people in Santa Barbara. More than 420 backpacks and school supply kits were distributed to children, and families also had the opportunity to access services that go beyond the classroom, including eye health screenings by SVC.
SVC exists to serve low-income and underinsured residents of Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. Their clinics in Goleta, Lompoc, Oxnard, Thousand Oaks, and Ventura provide free, comprehensive eye exams, eyeglasses, and medically necessary eye surgeries for qualified individuals. Children as young as five years old and adults of all ages are welcome.
What makes this event so meaningful is the chance to reach the youngest children. While regular clinic screenings begin at age five, family events allow SVC to check children under five as well, ensuring early detection of vision challenges.
At the event, staff screened 65 children and adults using the Spot Vision Screener, a handheld device that costs around $8,000. The screener can help detect conditions such as myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, anisocoria, anisometropia, corneal reflex issues, strabismus, amblyopia, nystagmus, and gaze problems. This was the 44th event SVC has participated in with their screening program so far this year. Because August is Children’s Sight Month, the team makes an extra effort to save appointment slots for children referred during screenings so they can be seen before school begins. Free sunglasses were given to anyone who had their vision screened at the event.
Helene met Anisha Verdialez, Director of Local & Domestic Programs, who leads SEE Vision Care’s outreach. Verdialez emphasized that the team is excited to continue growing their outreach within the community, spreading greater awareness of the program so that more people can access the support and resources available. Families screened at the event were referred to the Goleta clinic–their busiest–but the team maintains clear referral pathways at all of their locations.
To ensure no child slips through the cracks, SVC follows up with families who do not schedule appointments after screenings. They also partner with the Lions Club to conduct screenings in schools across the Santa Barbara Unified School District during mandated grade years.
On the ground, families were greeted by Connie Rodriguez, Local & Domestic Programs Coordinator, who operated the Spot Vision Screener inside a blackout tent. Known for her warmth, she explained the process while gathering each child’s information. If a child already wore glasses, screenings were done with them on, helping determine whether prescriptions needed updating. Julia Link Coulson, another Local & Domestic Programs Coordinator, supported families as well, providing Spanish-language communication and comfort for parents and children. The event was also a family affair for Verdialez, whose daughter Angelina has volunteered alongside her mother for years. Together with the SVC team, they create an atmosphere that is professional yet personal, helping families feel seen, respected, and cared for.
Events like today highlight the value of community-based care. In one afternoon, dozens of children gained access to sight-saving screenings, and their families were connected to a long-term support system. As Helene observed, SEE Vision Care embodies the same principles KnowTheGlow advocates for globally: awareness, access, and the prevention of avoidable blindness.
It is inspiring to see this happening right here in Santa Barbara, as it shows how powerful local action can be in shaping healthier futures.
