Oct. 18, three members of Clear Lake Lioness and Lion Mary Lea Curtis of Spring Lake Lions joined almost 50 vendors at Elk River High School for the annual Sherburne County Community Connect Event. Information, gifts and all kinds of Health and Human Services - targeting all ages and every aspect of family needs - were available to residents of Sherburne County.
The KidSight team conducted screenings from 10-2 on on a good number of children. This service is always offered free of charge by Lions and Lioness Clubs under the MD5M Lions KidSight program. The vision screener is capable of detecting eye disorders that may lead to a number of future problems. It is important to understand that this is only a screening and does not constitute an examination or diagnosis of vision problems.
Lions KidSight USA is a nationwide program that safeguards the vision of children six months to six years, although screening children up to and including 12th grade is acceptable. According to educational experts, 80% of learning is visual. So if children can't see well, it is much more difficult for them to learn. Yet most young children don't get their vision screened until they have problems learning or paying attention in school. By then, it may already be too late. Unless vision problems are detected early and corrected, they risk becoming permanent by age 7.
“Lions and Lioness in the USA already screen over a million kids per year through state-wide and local programs known as KidSight. Our mission is to ensure screenings and follow-up care are given to all kids. To do this, we work with Lions to increase the number of screenings around the country to reach as many children as possible,” says Linda Rose, Clear Lake Lioness.
About 7% to 15% of kids screened will be referred for an eye exam to an eye care professional. Approximately four to five percent of all children in this age group will have amblyopia, a treatable disorder that can result in permanently reduced vision when not addressed at an early age. The screening devices detect risk factors for Amblyopia (such as strabismus eyes that cross or wander out), refractive errors and unequal vision between the two eyes, astigmatism, far-sightedness, near-sightedness and potentially even more serious issues such as cataracts and cancer.
“The screening process is simple, quick and easy. We just push a few buttons and the screening devices used in KidSight do all the work. There are no eyedrops, no physical contact with the child and it takes only quick minute," says Rose, “The screening devices even generate the results immediately for easy management of screening results. It is simple, it's fun, and there is nothing more rewarding than helping a child. Clear Lake Lioness hope to bring this program to our immediate areas of Clear Lake, Becker and Clearwater. Be sure to look for future announcements.”
