Friends for Sight announced that it has more than doubled the number of its signature SightFest events this school year, growing from 5 to 13 and surpassing its goal of 10. This expansion brings SightFest to new communities for the first time, including Alpine School District and Washington County School District in Southern Utah.
A SightFest is a high-impact, one-day pop-up vision clinic where a coalition of volunteer optometrists, technicians, and community partners come together to bring free eye exams and prescription glasses directly to K–12 students (who have failed a vision screening and fall below the poverty line without vision insurance). Each event serves 75–115 students, ensuring children walk away with the glasses they need to thrive in school, sports, and daily life, often receiving glasses for the very first time. A single SightFest can serve students from more than a dozen schools in one district in just one day. These events require months of planning and coordination with school nurses, district leaders, volunteer professionals, and families, but the impact on advancing vision health equity across Utah is unmatched.
At these events, 96% of students are equipped with prescription glasses ordered and hand delivered a few weeks later at their schools. Just as importantly, one in eight students at our SightFest is identified with a more serious condition, such as early-stage amblyopia, eye tumors, or parasites, where early detection makes all the difference.
The need is clear: in Utah, nearly 70% of children who fail a school vision screening never go on to get the additional eye exams and glasses they need for school. For 30,000 Utah kids, a simple pair of glasses is out of reach due to barriers like cost, limited insurance, time and transportation. SightFest eliminates those barriers by bringing vision care directly to schools, making eye health accessible, stigma-free, and immediate.
“Doubling SightFest isn’t just about numbers, it’s about opportunity,” said Jamie Justice, Executive Director of Friends for Sight. “When a child puts on glasses and sees the classroom clearly for the first time, you see confidence light up. That moment changes everything, academic performance, self-esteem, and the ability to explore their world.”
For chamber members, SightFest also provides a unique corporate engagement opportunity. Businesses can sponsor an entire SightFest in their community and send employee volunteers to take part in a meaningful, hands-on community service day. Volunteers help with everything from fitting frames, ushering kids to stations, performing screening all the way to cheering students on as they select their first pair of glasses, building team morale while making a tangible impact.
Friends for Sight has been delivering vision screenings and care across Utah since 1955, removing barriers to eye health for children and families. With this year’s SightFest expansion, the organization moves closer to its bold vision of a future where every Utahn has access to the vision care they need to explore, discover, and thrive.
To learn more about sponsoring or volunteering at a SightFest, visit Friends For Sight.
