Meet Dina, the happiest little girl you’ll ever meet. Dina is in first grade and is six years old. She loves to get close to you and hold your face as you speak.

1

Every day in school, as Dina’s teacher Ms. Hana speaks, she runs up to the front of the classroom and touches Ms. Hana’s face. Dina does not let go until Ms. Hana stops teaching.

2

One day after Ms. Hana was finished speaking, she walked Dina back to her seat and kindly told her, “Dina you have to stay in your seat when I teach the class.” Dina became very sad.

3

4

Ms. Hana realized that Dina was upset. “Don’t worry Dina, when I am done teaching a lesson, I will come to your desk and explain it to you so you can hold my face. It is a lot easier then coming to the front of the classroom, right?” she asked.

“Yes Miss Hana, a lot easier!” Dina replied with a smile that lit up the room.

Later that day, Miss Hana curiously asked the class, “Does anyone know how to tie their shoes?” “Me Miss Hana! I know how to!” shouted a boy named Adam in Dina’s class. 5

Out of nowhere, Dina jumped out of her seat and ran to Adam to touch his face. She laid her hands on his cheeks and held his face close to hers until he was done speaking.

6

Miss Hana took Dina by the hand and gently walked her back to her seat. “Dina, we went over this already. You can’t get out of your seat in the middle of class” commanded Miss Hana once again.

“But I can’t see his face from here when he is talking”, cried Dina.

7

Worriedly Miss Hana asked, “What do you mean you can’t see what he is saying? Can you hear what he is saying?”

8

Dina unhappily replied, “I can hear him, but I just can’t see what he is saying if I don’t touch his face!”

9

“She was uncooperative and would not stop touching my face,” she answered, “But I have indeed some great news! Next week the Optical Academy Vision Team will be visiting our school and will be giving everyone complete eye exams.”

This made Miss Hana relieved and so excited! She went to share the great news with Dina.

Eye Examsby

OpticalAcademy‛sVision Team

Next Week!

This worried Miss Hana. So she called the school nurse, Nurse Kathy, to see the results on Dina’s last vision-screening test.

10

Miss Hana and Dina marked the class calendar and counted down the days that they will finally get to meet the Vision Team.

11

The day finally arrived. Dina was a little scared, but Miss Hana comforted her and walked Dina to get her eyes checked by the Vision Team

12

“No worries,” they knowingly replied, “We’re used to it. That is one of the signs that she can’t see clearly.” “I knew there was something wrong”, replied Miss Hana.

Miss Hana politely pulled the vision team to the side and informed them about Dina’s habit of touching people’s faces as they speak.

13

It was finally Dina’s turn now. Dina became very nervous as she sat in the chair to be seen by the Vision Team. As soon as they gave her instructions for the exam, she jumped up onto her seat and started to touch their faces.

14

One of the Vision Team members warmly held Dina’s hand and started to explain to her, “Don’t worry Dina, we know what’s going on. We’re going to see everything that is going on with your eyes and help you.”

15

The Vision Team detected a major vision problem. So they placed silly looking glasses on her face that was a sample of what her prescription glasses would feel like.

16

Dina sat as still as a statue in amazement of what she could now see. She looked around and couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Dina was shocked!

17

“Whats wrong Dina? Are you okay?” asked Miss Hana. Dina did not respond. She just stared at Miss Hana, and for the first time she didn’t touch her face.

18

19

“Oh my goodness!” she replied, “This whole time she was touching our faces because she couldn’t see us and what we were saying?”

“What’s wrong with Dina?!” questioned Miss Hana to the vision team. The Vision Team smiled and told Miss Hana, “Dina needs glasses full time. She is legally blind without them.”

Miss Hana kneeled down to Dina and asked, “Can you see me?” With more excitement then ever Dina yelled, “Yes Miss Hana! I can see you! You are so beautiful!” Miss Hana could not hold her tears back and sincerely thanked the Vision Team.

They explained to her that it was a pleasure and that it was their job to help people with their sight, and they handed Miss Hana Dina’s prescription. “All students are taught the same but learn differently. Dina happens to be a visual learner, so she needs to wear her glasses to learn” said one of the Vision Team members.

20

As the Vision Team finished up, they had to take back the silly looking glasses from Dina so they can examine the other children in the school. “No!” Dina screamed, “You can’t take these back! I can finally see! Can I keep these?! Please, please, please!”

The Vision Team apologetically took the glasses back and told Dina that they will make her a beautiful pair of glasses that she can keep. “They’ll be on your desk tomorrow morning,” they promised. 21

Just as promised, the Vision Team shipped her glasses overnight. And when she walked into her classroom the next day, they were waiting on her desk, ready for her to wear. From that day on, Dina never got up to hold anyone’s face again.

22