Lion Rich Regetta is shown using a hand held vision screen instrument to screen Declan Sacks of Birdsboro at Robeson Elementary School on March 26. The Elverson-Morgantown Lions Club recently conducted the vision screening of 55 children as they registered for kindergarten.
The Elverson-Morgantown Lions Club visit local preschool and elementary schools to provide vision screenings free of charge.
The new photoscreening technology simply requires the child to look into the hand-held monitor. By assessing the way light reflects off the eye, the screening can detect whether the child is at risk for developing serious eye problems. Without early detection and treatment, children’s vision problems can lead to complications, including permanent loss of vision, learning difficulties and delayed development. Photoscreening helps identify improperly aligned eyes (strabismus); obstructions that interfere with light passing through the eye (cataracts and ptosis) that can cause amblyopia; and imperfect refractive powers of the eye (nearsightedness, farsightedness, anisometropia and astigmatism). If these conditions are identified, parents are notified and recommended to have further evalution by an ophthalmologist or optometrist.
The Eye Screening Program is just one of the elements in the club’s effort to serve the Community. In addition to this program the Lions help with the local food pantry, collect eye glasses to recycle to people in need in developing countries, do a highway clean-up, participate in other community events and assist in the worldwide effort of Lions International to conquer blindness.
If interested in learning more about the club contact Carl Gundrum at gunner@ptd.net.
