News Area Lions Club, keeping an eye on the eyes

A team of Vinton Lions used a unique new digital camera earlier this week to take pictures of eyes. Mark Wilberg and Chuck Peterson photographed three- and four-year-old students at the LaPorte City Preschool, uploaded digital pictures of the children's retinas right from the classroom and sent them electronically to the University of Iowa Vision Clinic to be evaluated. After being screened by experts, parents are notified of any potential visual problems. Further testing may be recommended for a handful of children and glasses or treatment may be prescribed, ensuring the youngsters' readiness for reading, writing and ‘rithmetic. 

 

Lions across the state provide this service in venues as varied as the Iowa State Fair and neighborhood daycares. Vinton Lions have offered screenings locally for years with special Polaroid cameras. The new camera they employ came with a $10,000 price tag but is heavily used, by 48 clubs in the 11 counties that make up Iowa Lions District 9-NE. School administrators say the Lions' volunteer service has allowed state Area Education Agencies to drop vision screening from their tight budgets in recent years and focus on hearing checks.

 

"We've used Lions vision screening services for seven or eight years," said LaPorte Preschool lead teacher Donna Coulter. "Out of 65 to 75 children, the screening identifies three or four every year who benefit from follow up and support.  The testing is definitely worthwhile in catching vision problems early." 

 

"The new camera is faster and easier to use," said Lion Mark Wilberg. "Earlier this year we used it with Vinton Head Start children. There is less room for operator error and we have fewer retakes. The Polaroids were slower, harder to focus and used lots of consumables that had to be mailed in for review."

 

The camera is housed with Van Horne Lion Sally Donald, who provides training and checks the camera out to teams from other clubs in the district. The screening is available free to preschools, daycares and other groups where young children are gathered.  Interested teachers, administrators, family services providers or day care providers can contact Vinton vision committee co-chair Mark Wilberg to schedule a screening. Other members of the committee include Peterson, Linus Winter, Lynn Montgomery, Don Eells, John Elwick, Don Lewis and Julie Zimmer.