In 1925 Helen Keller challenged the Lions to be knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness.  Since then Lions worldwide have risen to this challenge and worked on programs related to vision.  

Oct. 3, Lions from Putnam and Killingly joined together at the Help Me Grow Fall Festival and Resource Fair at Putnam Elementary School to screen 41 children for vision problems.  Of these screenings, 5 were referred to pediatricians or optometrists for further testing.    

Between Sept. 15 to Oct. 7 40 volunteers screened 1,700 Killingly students in a little over 136 hours.  186 referrals were made.  Volunteers from Lions clubs in Putnam, Pomfret, Woodstock, Danielson, and Killingly Quiet Corner Regional Lions, as well as, Montville Mohegan-Pequot, Killingworth, East Haddam Community, AAA and a few friends of the Lions made this effort possible.  

The screenings were conducted using a Welch-Allyn Spot Vision Camera, owned by the Lions’ District 23C which represents Windham, Tolland, New London and Middlesex Counties.  The device takes a picture of the eyes and measures for 7 different issues such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatisms, eye misalignment and two types of unequal refractive powers.  Screenings can be conducted on children as young as 6 months.  Results are available within seconds.  A trained team of two can screen 210 students in 5 ½ hours.

Each Vision Camera costs approximately $8900 and requires a Bluetooth enabled printer.  The district owns 2 machines and is trying to raise $100,000 to get a matching grant from Lions Club International to buy an additional 10 complete units to be able to expand their efforts in vision screening.

For additional information on the screenings, Lion Tom Kohl can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or at 860-774-5185.

 

.