News Vinton Lions offer free preschool vision screening May 19

Learning to read – or catch a ball, or tie your sneakers, or safely drive a car – can be an impossible task for those with undiagnosed and untreated vision problems. Early identification and treatment can provide for normal development and reduce the risk of permanent vision loss.  

That’s why over 3,600 trained Iowa Lions Club volunteers provide free screening for preschoolers in all 99 counties of our state, working to identify vision loss that could impact learning, hamper productivity and limit quality of life. Lions are the legs of KidSight, a joint community service project with the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. Those specialists read the screens and contact parents with the results, sharing options for follow-up if needed.

Lions in Vinton are no exception.  In addition to screenings completed at local private and public preschools and daycares this year, they are offering additional sessions for home daycare groups from 9:00 – 11:00 and drop-in screening for at-home preschoolers from 11:00 – 2:00 on Tuesday, May 19, at the Vinton Public Library.  A signed parental consent form is required for screening; flyers and forms are available that day or in advance at the library.  

Since 2004 Vinton Lions have conducted over 60 screening sessions, seeing over 900 children, sharing special equipment with eight other clubs in the area to take digital photos of children’s eyes. The photos are sent electronically, to be evaluated by Deptartment of Opthalmology specialists at UI Children’s Hospital who determine the need for further follow up by eye care professionals and send results to parents. One of the most common vision problems detected and treated in early stages of development is amblyopia (“lazy eye”) which causes permanent vision loss if left untreated.  

Vinton screening organizer Mark Wilberg said small children have no way to know they aren’t seeing as they should be, and they have limited ability to tell someone even if they did know. It takes only about three minutes to get a picture of one child’s eyes.

“My first screening was at a Young Parents Network family event at the Methodist Church,” said Wilberg.  “Since then we’ve been at daycares, preschools, Head Start and local programs for parents held at the skate center.  Out of 763 children screened in nine years, 36 children were referred for further support.”  This simple screen can make a world of difference to that four or five percent, according to parents and educators.

In the not-so-recent past, Area Education Agencies screened hearing and vision for children starting kindergarten.  Lions started taking up the slack on preschool vision screening as budget constraints limited AEA resources in recent years.  Today vision screening, whether by a paid professional or trained volunteer, is required by law in a bill that takes effect this fall. Iowa HF548/SF419 requires “the parent of a child enrolled in a public or accredited non-public elementary school to ensure the child is screened for vision impairments at least once [within 12 months of entering] kindergarten…” Documentation of this Lions KidSight screening satisfies the requirement at no cost to the family.

The Vinton club has already conducted or scheduled screenings this year at Head Start, Tiny Vikes Preschool (Tilford and Shellsburg), LaPorte Preschool, TLC and HappyTime daycares. They are offering the additional sessions for home daycares and at-home preschoolers during the Lions International World Wide Week of Service in May. For additional information or group scheduling, contact Mark Wilberg at 472-4042 or Julie Zimmer at 472-4660.