# Vatican Offers Free Eye Exams to Children

> Vatican provides free eye exams and glasses for 50 needy children during World Sight Day.
- Title: Vatican Offers Free Eye Exams to Children · Vaticannews
- Summary: Vatican provides free eye exams and glasses for 50 needy children during World Sight Day. The Vatican's Santa Marta Pediatric Dispensary offered free eye…
- Keywords: vatican, santa marta, world sight day, eye exams, prescription glasses, charity, one sight essilorluxottica foundation, dicastery for service of charity, religion, world, Offers, Free
- Source: Vaticannews — https://vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2026-10/world-sight-day-vatican-dispensary-eye-checks-glasses-charity.html
- Author: Vatican News
- Published: 2026-10-08T13:40:00.756+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: vatican, santa marta, world sight day, eye exams, prescription glasses, charity, one sight essilorluxottica foundation, dicastery for service of charity, religion, world
## World Sight Day Initiative
The Vatican's Santa Marta Pediatric Dispensary offers free eye exams and prescription glasses to about 50 poor children on World Sight Day.
## World Sight Day Theme
This year's World Sight Day theme is 'Love Your Eyes', emphasizing eye health for personal and collective well-being.
## Charity Partnership
The initiative partners with the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation and the Dicastery for the Service of Charity.
## Archbishop's Statement
Archbishop Luis Marin de San Martin described the initiative as a concrete testimony of the Church's charitable action with no borders.

> It is charity, that adapts, with creativity, to changing needs.
## Doctor's Perspective
Ophthalmologist Dr Valeria Pendino noted that untreated childhood eye issues can hinder development and require follow-up treatment.

> Today I saw older children, but also young adults who, if they had been diagnosed and treated during childhood, would have had a different course.
## Key takeaway

The Vatican's Santa Marta Pediatric Dispensary offered free eye exams and prescription glasses to 50 poor children on World Sight Day.