Lions Clubs Free Vision Screenings

Sharpness of vision or visual acuity is recorded as a fraction, e.g. 20/20. This means that a person can read a line of type standing 20 feet (or six meters) from an eye chart.
Vision Screenings can Detect a Variety of Conditions:

Nearsightedness or myopia - the eye can focus on close images but not on distant images. Eyeglasses, contact lenses, or laser surgery can correct this condition.
Farsightedness or hyperopia - the eyes can focus on distant images but not on close images. Eyeglasses, contact lenses, or laser surgery can correct this condition.
Astigmatism - visual distortion of both close and distant images. Eyeglasses, contact lenses, or laser surgery can correct this condition.
Presbyopia - a reduction in the ability to adjust from distant and/or close images. This condition cannot be corrected. It is a normal condition of aging.
Amblyopia or lazy eye - in young children (under age five), caused by: a misalignment of the muscles controlling eye movement; a focusing disorder; or a cataract. The child relies on his/her good eye for vision.
Glaucoma - a variety of diseases of the eye characterized by increased pressure within the eye. This pressure destroys the optic nerve. Medication, incisional surgery, or laser surgery can correct this condition.
Cataract - a cloudy or opaque areas in the lens of the eye caused by a change in the chemical composition of the eye lens. Surgery can correct this condition.

Lions clubs often conduct free vision screenings. Often, the screenings are performed by Lions who are eye care professionals. Some Lions districts have their own mobile van for vision screenings. In other instances, clubs arrange with local hospitals or health departments for an eye care professional to perform the screenings.

Children should have their vision tested at age three. Indicators of vision problems in children include:

attempts to brush away blurred vision
blinking more than usual
rubbing eyes frequently
squinting when focusing on distant objects
frowning excessively or tilting of the head from one side
stumbling over small objects
sensitivity to light
red, swollen, or encrusted eyelids
recurring sties in the eyes
inflamed or watery eyes



Helping The Blind See
Lions are recognized worldwide for their service to the blind and visually impaired. This service began when Helen Keller challenged the Lions to become "knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness" during the association's 1925 international convention.
Click here to read her inspiring speech.

The World Health Organization estimates that the eyesight of one-fourth of the world's population can be improved through the use of corrective lenses. Unfortunately for many, a pair of glasses is both unaffordable and inaccessible. In developing countries, an eye exam costs as much as one month's wages, and a single doctor may serve a community of hundreds of thousands of people.

The general public is encouraged to donate their used eyeglasses and sunglasses to their local Lions club, or to send them to one of the ten regional
Lions Eyeglass Recycling Centers.

Prevention and reversal of blindness is the Lions clubs major service commitment. This program takes the name of SightFirst, and includes the activities of every club working to control blindness. SightFirst is an international program dedicated to controlling blindness worldwide. Clubs work individually or through their districts to prevent and reverse the major causes of blindness in their area.

For more information, contact your local Lions club or the Program Development Department at Lions Clubs International Headquarters at: programs@lionsclubs.org

To locate a Lions club in your area Click Here.


DISCLAIMER: The information and opinions expressed on this blog are not an endorsement or recommendation for any medical treatment, product or course of action by One For The Aging. For medical, legal or other advice, please consult appropriate professionals of your choice.




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