Offers Spot Vision to area pre-school, kindergarten, 1st grade students
BOARDMAN
11The Lions Club has tested the eyes of about 600 students since September, said Kathy Collins, one of the club members trained to use the hand-held Spot Vision device.
Amblyopia, also known as lazy eye, is decreased vision that results from abnormal visual development in infancy and early childhood. Lazy eye usually affects only one eye, and is the leading cause of decreased vision among children. Left untreated, vision loss may range from mild to severe, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Other eye disorders Spot Vision tests for are myopia (near-sightedness), hyperopia (far-sightedness), anisometropia (unequal refractive power), astigmatism (blurred vision, eye structure problem), anisocoria (pupil size deviations), and strambismus (eye mismanagement Gaze), Collins said.
Boardman Lions is offering eye screening to pre-school, kindergarten and first-grade students as a supplement to the amblyopia screening program conducted by Goodwill Industries, said Collins.
Goodwill’s 40-plus volunteers test 2,400 to 2,600 children, 3 to 5 years of age, for amblyopia in 130-140 schools in Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties between September and April, said program coordinator Nancy Chambers.
Chambers said there could be some overlap between the two programs, but said the Spot Vision Screening Device is a wonderful product that also can be used to test older children.
The Goodwill amblyopia program, which operates under the auspices of the Ohio Department of Health, uses the state-mandated VIP (Vision in Preschoolers) Screening Kit, which Chambers said is specifically for children age 3 to 5.
The Boardman Lions Club purchased the Spot Vision Screening Device, known as a pedia cam, and printer for more than $7,000, and is offering its services to local pre-school, kindergarten and first-grade students and teachers.
Five Lions Club members received training in using Spot Vision through Goodwill and ODH. They also are required to have background checks, Collins said.
Besides Collins, Lions trained include Joni Blase, Kris Dailey, Nancy Golubic and Anne Kravitz.
Collins said the Spot Vision devise is hand-held about 3 feet from the student, good for young children who don’t like to be touched by strangers. Once the picture is taken, the flash drive is plugged into a computer, which prints out the child’s results, she said.
“Spot Vision chirps like a bird during the exam. The kids love it,” Collins said.