Volunteer optometrist Lynden Mason working with a young patient on the bus. Photo: Supplied
A charity screening children for sight and hearing problems at schools in high-need areas now has a fully kitted-out optometry bus - and big plans to roll the service out to reach more regions and adults too.
Painga Project co-founder and chief executive Sarah Corson said it had taken years of hard work to get "Celia" the optometry bus on the road.
"At the moment we screen about 100 students a day [for vision problems] in schools using mobile equipment, but if we identified a problem, we didn't have the solution.
"So were scrambling around with help from the Auckland University vision bus and taking students who were high priority to private optometrists.
"Celia is designed to be able move between schools and be able to do full optometry checks on 30 students a day."
Celia the bus. Photo: Supplied
The optometry bus - named for social justice advocate Celia Lashlie - had the capacity to see 7000 children a year for glasses, Corson said.
A mobile audiology bus "Whina", named for Māori equity activist Dame Whina Cooper, got into gear earlier in the year 2025.
Both vehicles were donated by the Ted Mason Foundation. The optometry equipment was funded by a private trust.
Corson estimated the the Celia van, equipment and fit-out was worth about $500,000.
The cost of Whina and its fit-out was about $400,000.
These figures excluded the significant volunteer time invested into the set up and ongoing running costs, she said.
Volunteer optometrist Lynden Mason (L) with Tim Way from OIC the equipment supplier. Photo: Supplied
The audiology testing equipment could come on and off the bus, but the optometry gear was "extremely delicate".
Ensuring it could travel safely required a great deal of careful expert planning by optometrist Lynden Mason and Tim Way from OIC the equipment supplier, Corson said.
"The next challenge is to secure the $700,000 per year to fund the cost of the glasses and the optometrist's time."
Meanwhile, Whina cost around $250,000 per year to operate.
1 in 3 children have vision or hearing problem
Since its initial pilot programme in 2019, Painga Project's sight and hearing programme had grown to cover 53 schools in South Auckland.
The rate of problems picked up has remained largely consistent over time:
Vision:
- 30 percent of students needed to see an optometrist.
- 80 percent of those students needed glasses.
Six months later, a follow-up showed:
- 20 percent of students had moved schools.
- 20 percent were wearing their glasses correctly.
- 60 percent needed new lenses due to inconsistent use.
Hearing:
- 33 percent of students required earwax or foreign object removal at school.
- 8 percent needed specialist referrals to Manukau Super Clinic.
- 50 percent of those referred needed multiple follow-ups, including grommets, surgery, or hearing aids.
Painga Project managed the referrals, provided transport and volunteers to ensure students attended every appointment.
"We're just completing a pre-school pilot with Whanau Manaaki Kindergartens in Wellington and our referral rate for preschool kids is 20percent," Corson said.
Overall, it amounted to a major failure in the system when it came to "educational health", she said.
"Children can't learn. We can make all the curriculum changes in the world but if child can't see or hear to learn and fully engage in their educational journey, they're inclined to just remove themselves from that journey. So the numbers are stark."
Celia's high-tech optometry equipment can screen babies from six months old. The youngest child they have referred so far was 18 months.
Working on board Whina. Photo: Supplied
Screening 'the easy part'
Painga Project's super efficient vision screeners have been trained by Auckland University and the hearing screeners were schooled by The Hearing House and other audiology supporters.
"However, we quickly realised that screening was the easy part - the real challenge was building a long-term support system to ensure students actually received the on-going help they needed."
Children were now provided with two pairs of glasses (including one pair to stay at school) or even more, on the school's advice.
It still happens occasionally that glasses prescribed for a child end up being "shared" by older siblings, who also need them for school.
Corson said there were 98 schools in Auckland and 614 nationwide, which met its criteria.
Her goal is that the mobile screening model will become "the standard" across the country in future.
Teachers unable to afford glasses themselves
The organisation recently joined several providers at a community health expo in Levin, north of Wellington, which brought home for Corson the scale of problem for adults too, including teachers and community workers.
"We'd say, 'Come and have a free screening,' and so many people said, 'I can't see but I can't afford glasses.'"
To address this gap, Corson now had her sights set on founding Painga + Hearing and Vision Clinics to provide "affordable eye-care and eye-wear".
Operated by an optometrist, a diagnostic audiologist and wax nurse, the clinics would be located in existing medical centres and community hubs, and take referrals for both children and adults from GPs, schools, marae and community organisations.
Painga Project was in discussions with providers in South Auckland, Wellington and Tairāwhiti, with plans to expand into Hawke's Bay, Northland, Hamilton, Rotorua and Palmerston North. Ultimately, they would cover the South Island too.
"It's been a big stretch for us securing funding for what we've done so far, but we're confident that it's proving its worth."
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