Why can't little Johnny read? When children seem distracted or bored in the classroom teachers often chalk it up to a lack of interest in schoolwork, problems at home or even an attention deficit disorder. But the same symptoms could just as easily indicate a far more common reason children have difficulty with reading and math: an undiagnosed vision problem that could easily be cured by a pair of eyeglasses. That's why we applaud a new initiative by Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen to provide free eyeglasses to every student in the city schools who needs them.

Every year, thousands of Baltimore children in grades K-8 need glasses to do their best at school. But thousands of them never get to see an ophthalmologist or optometrist — a failure for which the city pays a heavy price. Children with uncorrected vision conditions or eye health problems face serious barriers in life, academically, socially and athletically. Making high-quality eye care available can help break down those barriers and allow them to realize their full potential. It's a relatively small, cost-effective public health measure the city can take that holds out the promise of making a big difference in a child's future.

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