If you could save a child's sight with the press of a button, wouldn't you?
Since this program was made available to the Ellington School System and local day care centers, the Ellington Lions Club has conducted more than 1500 screenings while identifying more than 150 children with vision problems requiring a further evaluation by an eye care professional. The ages of the children ranged from 6 months to 8 years, from pre-school to 3rd grade.
Using a hand-held screening device ( Welch Allen SPOT Vision Screener) trained Lions members and volunteers are able to detect common vision issues such as lazy eye, eye misalignment, near and far sightedness, unequal refractive power, blurred vision, and unequal pupil size. The screening is done by a photographic computer-analyzed process from a distance of three feet. No physical contact is made with the child and no eye drops are administered. Results are available immediately. The device is simple to operate and requires only a few minutes of training.
This program is a major thrust of Lions International and a signature program of the Ellington Lions. It is a free program, providing quick screening (about 1-2 minutes per child) for children, toddlers to teenagers. Results are generated quickly and on-site.
This program has been endorsed by the Connecticut Legislature. Many pre-schools and elementary schools in Connecticut are regularly using this program.
For information about this program offered by Ellington Lions Club, visit the website www.LionsKidSightUSA.org.
