AN initiative led by the Lions Club of Mount Gambier continues to help identify previously undetected vision problems in local children.<\/p>\n
The latest school visited by the children\u2019s vision screening team was Mulga Street Primary where 20 of the 104 students tested received referrals to optometrists for follow up investigations.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had lots of feedback from parents who are thrilled with the results once children have gone to the optometrist and been prescribed glasses,\u201d said Jill Austin who co-ordinates the program for the Lions Club.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe change it\u2019s made in children\u2019s lives has been wonderful,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Ms Austin said she knows of one local example where a boy\u2019s life has been turned around as a result of the program.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis little boy is a lovely child who got on really well with all the other children in school but was very disruptive in class,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe tested poorly, went off to the optometrists and got glasses.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow that his vision problem has been addressed, suddenly he loves school, he loves learning and has really gone ahead \u2013 a totally different child, which is wonderful to see,\u201d said Ms Austin, adding that up to 80 percent of a child\u2019s learning happens through their eyes.<\/p>\n
Once detected, most eye problems in children can be easily corrected.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn average, one in five children screened, need eye care \u2013 and we are well and truly seeing that here,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The program is run as part of a Lions Eye Health Program Australia national project that aims to reduce the incidence and impact of avoidable vision loss.<\/p>\n
Accredited volunteers use special cameras, charts and other tools to check for potential problems with distance vision, focus, depth perception, colour vision and other eye issues.<\/p>\n
The screeners undergo a three-stage training process and have working with children clearance.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we first visit a school we tend to screen all of the students from Reception through to Year 6,\u201d Ms Austin said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen each year we will go back and do Reception, Year 6 and any new students.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe schools we\u2019ve been to have been very co-operative and well organised.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been a real pleasure to do this job,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The club is keen to hear from more schools interested in taking part in the program, which is provided free of charge.<\/p>\n
Ms Austin was responsible for the Lions Club of Mount Gambier adopting the children\u2019s vision screening program and has been awarded a special Roley McAtee OAM Vision Award for her work.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
AN initiative led by the Lions Club of Mount Gambier continues to help identify previously undetected vision problems in local children. The latest school visited by the children\u2019s vision screening team was Mulga Street Primary where 20 of the 104 students tested received referrals to optometrists for follow up investigations. \u201cWe\u2019ve had lots of feedback […]<\/p>\n