Lions Club International's District 4C1 and its Enterprise Club Are "Spot-on" in Their Eye Health Initiatives

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Sep 20, 2013, 08:35 ET

LAKE MARY, Fla., Sept. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- When Lions Club members gather September 19-21 for the USA/Canada Lions Leadership Forum in Kansas, PediaVision will be among the exhibitors at the Overland Park Convention Center (booth #214). The company will demonstrate how its Spot vision screener bolsters Lions eye health programs and commend those using the device, particularly District 4C1 in Northern California and its Enterprise Lions Club, the first club to offer Spot screenings in California.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130920/PH83413LOGO )

Before District Governor Coy Moody initiated the purchase of a Spot device in early 2012, Enterprise club members infrequently assisted school nurses with exams using the traditional eye chart. Helen Garr, a member of the Enterprise Club, agreed to chair the newly formed District Screening Committee and began offering screenings to schools.

"One nurse had an eighth grade class that she couldn't get to within her established time frame," said Garr. "We screened those 98 students in less than two hours." Schools are now contacting Garr to schedule more screenings.

The district also performs screenings at community events such as Project Homeless Connect, which gives homeless people access to resources, including eye care. "An ophthalmologist performs eye exams and makes eyeglasses," said Garr. "We do initial screenings, and the ophthalmologist uses our printouts."

Project Homeless Connect was the launching pad for yet another initiative. Garr met the local Head Start director at the event, and as a result, the Enterprise club conducted a trial screening with one class in August. The director was so thrilled with the results that she immediately gave them a list of additional classes. By October 16, the district will have held 32 screening events for Head Start.

The District Health Foundation and LCIF recently purchased three additional Spot devices. "They'll be doing even more throughout the area and they're offering guidance to other clubs," said PediaVision vice president Jeff Mortensen. "It's very gratifying to have been a part of this project from its inception and to see how far it's come."

About PediaVision

PediaVision, inventor of the award winning Spot vision screener, is dedicated to solving the vital health issue of undiagnosed vision problems and transforming the lives of thousands of children each day. A child with an undetected or untreated vision problem is more likely to develop social or emotional problems [1]. Thus, a child's vision problems can affect not only their own learning, but also that of their peers. PediaVision is committed to assisting children in reaching their full potential by providing an objective and accurate vision-screening device for public and private healthcare providers.

Supported by ophthalmologists, optometrists, scientists and leading technology innovators, the Spot vision screener is a breakthrough technology and represents what vision screening should be. For more information, including how to order Spot, please visit www.pediavision.com.

[1] Charles E. Basch. (2010). Teachers College, Columbia University. A Research Initiative of the Campaign for Educational Equity Teachers College, Columbia University.

Jeff Mortensen
321-377-3095
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