Lions Club takes vision screening to Graham’s Hall Primary

The Lions Club on Monday engaged students of the Graham’s Hall Primary School in a vision screening exercise, with the aim of detecting sight disorders at an early age.

A vision screening, also called an eye test, is a brief exam that looks for potential vision problems and eye disorders. Vision screenings are often done by primary care providers as part of a regular checkup. On October 10, International Sight Day will be celebrated.
During the activity, the Club was able to achieve its target of 100 individuals. Students were sourced from the Grades One to Six classes, within the age range of six to 12.
Chairperson of the Lion’s Services for Children, Ambika Singh said it was a joint effort between different branches of the organisation.
“We’re collaborating with the Lions of East Demerara. The optometrist is here doing the screening with the children and we’re also doing this in keeping with one of the five service areas of the Lions, which is vision. This is Vision Month so we’re doing it with that and in keeping with our district goals,” Singh posited.
A significant percentage of screened students displayed conditions which may require them to wear glasses. This publication was told that the Club will assist in providing them with the necessary resources.
“The students who we would have detected so far, we have quite a few on our high priority list to do follow-ups. So we’re not just stopping here with vision screening at the school. With most of the students, I got feedback that some of them cannot afford the spectacles and whatever is needed to correct their problem. This is where we will continue to the end and see them through to ensure that they get everything they need.”
Vision screening is a very important way to identify vision problems. During an exam, the doctor looks for eye disease and checks to see if the eyes are working properly. Children with a family history of childhood vision problems are more likely to have eye problems. Teachers of the school would have also capitalised on the opportunity to get screened.
“We came with the intention of screening children but teachers also asked. There was need for them. Some of them said they were having problems with their vision so we assisted the teachers as well. We covered screening for teachers,” the Chairperson highlighted.
Another such activity will be done at the Vreed-en-Hoop Primary School on Friday.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, common eye disorders include refractive errors, macular degeneration, cataract, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, amblyopia and strabismus.
Important practices to maintain good sight include having a balanced diet, healthy weight, regular exercise, sunglasses and protective eyewear and knowing your family medical history or other risk factors.