A student undergoing an eye screening at school
Affiliated with L’OCCITANE Foundation, Heart to Heart Foundation is implementing
"School-Based Eye Health" initiatives for children in Battambang, Cambodia.
We are leveraging schools—where children spend the most time—as a strategic platform to improve access to eye care.
This ensures that children can receive timely eye screenings and treatment,
creating an environment where they can focus on learning without the barrier cause by visual impairment.
Step 0. Establishing a Partnership with the POE (August 2025)
MOU Signing Ceremony with the Battambang POE
In August 2025, Heart-to-Heart Foundation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
with the Battambang Provincial Department of Education, Youth, and Sports (POE).
This agreement has established a foundation to provide high-quality,
seamlessly integrated eye health services —ranging from awareness campaigns to screenings and treatment—for children.
Step 1. Capacity Building for Teachers in Eye Health : 300 Teachers (October 2025)
Training session for teachers (Topic: Eye health and vision screening)
Prior to the screenings, we conducted eye health training for 300 principals and teachers from 104 schools.
· Theoretical Training: Current status of eye health in Cambodia, prevention and protection methods, and characteristics of major childhood eye diseases.
· Practical Training: How to measure vision, emergency first aid for eye injuries, and hands-on practice.
· Distributed Materials: Eye screening sets (vision charts + eye occluders) and awareness-raising materials.
This training equipped teachers with the knowledge and practical skills to accurately measure children’s vision and identify abnormal signs.
Step 2. 1st Eye Screening by Trained Teachers: 30,063 Children (January 2026)
Teacher-led initial eye screening for students
Trained teachers conducted the 1st screenings for 30,063 students across 104 schools.
Along with measuring vision, they checked for visible symptoms such as redness, pain, or discharge.
A total of 1,362 children were identified as requiring further professional examination and were referred for the 2nd screening
Step 3. 2nd Eye Screening and Customized Support: 1,362 Children (February 2026)
An ophthalmologist providing medical prescriptions to a student
In February, we conducted the 2nd eye screenings for the 1,362 identified students in collaboration with partner ophthalmologists.
They visited 8 hub schools over 6 days to perform comprehensive eye examinations and provided immediate medical services.
Summary of 1st & 2nd screening results and future plans
· Infectious Diseases (e.g., Conjunctivitis): Provision of medication with guidance on safe and proper use
· Refractive Errors (Myopia, Astigmatism, etc.): Precise refraction assessments
and prescription of eyeglasses with frames selected by the children themselves.
· Amblyopia: Referral to specialized clinics for further assessment and ongoing treatment.
Additionally, 7 children diagnosed with conditions requiring surgical intervention—including cataracts
and strabismus—have been referred to Angkor Hospital for Children (AHC), our partner hospital, for further treatment.
A student selecting eyeglass frames after the professional eye examination
Heart-to-Heart Foundation and L‘OCCITANE are committed to expanding sustainable,
community-based eye health services so that no child is left behind.
We believe every child deserves to see the world clearly—and to grow up with equal opportunities to learn and thrive.
Care for Sight & Love your Eyes
<With support from L’OCCITANE Korea, Heart-Heart Foundation is conducting the “2025–2026 Integrating Eye Health into NCD Care and School Health in Battambang, Cambodia”>
