Phil Ruppert, Herb Mills, Cindy Rice and Don Malone (from left), members of Huntington and Andrews Lions Clubs Operation KidSight team attended a training seminar Aug. 21 at the Indiana Lions Eye and Tissue Transplant Bank in Indianapolis. Photo provided.
Phil Ruppert, Herb Mills, Cindy Rice and Don Malone, members of Huntington and Andrews Lions Clubs Operation KidSight team, traveled to the Indiana Lions Eye and Tissue Transplant Bank in Indianapolis Aug. 21 for a training seminar.
Indiana Lions, in conjunction with the Indiana Lions Eye and Tissue Transplant Bank and the Indiana University department of Ophthalmology, offer free eye screening to children ages 2 through 5.
There is no physical contact made with the child and no eye drops or medications are used. It's as simple as having a photo taken. The screening is approximately 85 to 90 percent effective in detecting vision problems. The Lions use the PediaVision screening device to identify children whose eyes may have some type of defect, which left untreated would lead to a lifetime of vision problems.
The first few years of a child's life are critical in the development of normal vision. If some problems are not detected early, a child's vision may deteriorate to the point of irreversible blindness.
KidSight screeners use the PediaVision screening system. The volunteer takes a digital measurement of the child's eyes from a comfortable distance of three meters away. Invisible, infrared light is projected through the pupils onto the retina. Depending on the refractive error or "prescription" of the eye, the reflected light forms a specific brightness pattern within the pupil, which the software analyzes to detect astigmatism, nearsightedness, farsightedness and refractive imbalance.
It also performs a gaze analysis to help detect misaligned eyes, amblyopia or lazy eye, and aniso-coria. All this information can be acquired and accessed in seconds. Parents will receive the results of the screening within several weeks after the screening is performed. If a possible vision problem is detected, the parent will be given a letter of referral for their child to see an eye doctor.
Huntington area clubs have been conducting screenings since April 2007, and to date have screened 970 children. Of those, 58 have been referred for further follow-up with a local eye doctor. Since the results are confidential and sent directly to the parents, it is unknown exactly how many have followed up, but statewide 73 percent of referrals have a significant
eye problem, and with refinements in the testing procedure that number was 80 percent in 2009.
The guest speaker for the seminar was Dr. Neely, Operation KidSight Medical Director. The team learned many of the above statistics and how the information they gather at the screenings is processed.
"The most important thing I learned," says Cindy Rice, "was my change in understanding of how vital this screening is. I had understood that discovering abnormalities at an early age would prevent long-term eye problems, but had not known that these problems could cause irreversible blindness. That's so much more serious than just needing to wear glasses to compensate."
Working with local preschools and at fairs and festivals are the main avenues that are used to reach the 2 to 5 year old age range. With fall preschools beginning,
KidSight team members will begin contacting local preschools to set times to conduct the free screenings. Parents are asked to let preschool directors know that they would like this screening to take place.
For more information, contact Scheduling Coordinator Charlie Garrison at 786-3046, Chairman Herb Mills at 358-8468 or Secretary Cindy Rice at 356-2720.
