Lions Clubs expand community vision screening programs

Lions Clubs are conducting community-based vision screening programs to identify eye health issues in children and adults. In Aurora, the Aurora Lions Club’s Children’s Vision Program provides free screenings to identify vision development concerns, having served more than 400 children in its last fiscal year. The program collaborates with organizations such as the Fox Valley Park District, Family Focus, and the Fox Valley United Way’s SPARK program.

In Sheridan, the Story Lions Club recently screened 34 children for potential vision problems. To address financial barriers to follow-up care, the club partnered with local Sheridan area Lions clubs and the Salvation Army to fund a $250 voucher program. This program assists families who cannot afford the costs of exams, lenses, and frames at local optometrists. The club also utilized a hand-held Plusoptix screener, which is capable of detecting common vision disorders in children as young as five months old.