Lions Child Sight Screening Programme
Loddon Valley Lions are participating in a recently introduced, Lions-Nation Wide project to screen the eyes of children in the age range from year R through to Year 6 for possible eye defects.
This programme can detect a larger range of conditions than the school nurse who carries out checks in Yr R; does not require the child to be touched in any way or, the use of eye drops and has the approval of the Department of Health.
Children are screened using an oversized 'camera' (see left) which scans their eyes. The child sees a smiley face and a number of small red shapes dancing around the screen in random fashion and the screening typically lasts around 15 to 20 seconds, allowing us to screen around 100 children an hour.
Where potential conditions are flagged, parents receive a letter strongly advising them to take their child to an optician for a free eye screening. Typically, 10 to 15% of children screened will be referred in this way.
Feed-back from schools has told us that following referral of a child and remedial action, their attainment has improved, sometimes dramatically and we have been told of a child experiencing severe behavioural problems, which simply melted away following referral and remedial action. In a small number of cases, remedial action has involved minor surgery.
So, if you would like to have a screening in your school, ask the Headteacher to contact Loddon Valley Lions via our Contact us Page PLEASE CLICK HERE and we can discuss the possibility of arranging a screening with them.
We have recently carried out screenings in two Tadley Schools, where around 200 Children were screened in about two to two and a half hours in each school, with a referral rate of about 10 to 15% in each case.
Screening can only be carried out in schools, with the Headteacher's approval. There is no charge to the parents or the school for these screenings.
