Operation KidSight (OKS)
The mission of Operation KidSight is to prevent blindness through early detection and treatment of the most common vision disorders in preschool children.
The Greater Wakefield Lions Club has expanded OKS to include children up to 8th Grade. OKS vision screenings are fast, touchless and free.
Operation KidSight uses the Welch Allyn Spot Vision Screener designed to work easily with all age groups from 6-months and up.
The child simply looks at some blinking lights for a few seconds. No eye drops are necessary and if your child already wears glasses or contacts, they wear them during the screening.
The Spot Screener is powered with sophisticated technology that quickly detects indication of the following vision issues:
• Near-sightedness (Myopia)
• Far-sightedness (Hyperopia)
• Blurred vision, eye structure problems (Astigmatism)
• Unequal refraction power (Anisometropia)
• Pupil size deviations (Anisocoria)
• Eye misalignment (Strabismus)
In just seconds, the non-invasive, non-contact, Spot Screener provides a comprehensive, reliable analysis that enables informed decision making about the need for follow-up diagnosis.
The child’s name, date of birth, gender and current eyewear needs is provided by the site coordinator (school nurse, principle or director) on a USB drive and loaded into the Spot Screener.
The Spot Screener only looks at and captures the child’s eyes, not the face of the child. When the Spot Screener recommends a complete eye exam, a follow-up referral to an eye care professional,
such as an Optometrist (O.D.) or an Ophthalmologist (M.D.) is indicated. The Greater Wakefield Lions Club provides vouchers for a free comprehensive eye exam through a local Optometrist.
Income eligible families can also receive financial assistance for eyeglasses. Once the vision screening results print for the child’s parent/guardian, all records are deleted from the Spot Screener.
Studies from the American Optometric Association found:
• 70% of children diagnosed with a learning disability have a vision issue.
• Between the ages of 9-15, only 10% of kids who need glasses actually have them.
• Only 1/3rd of kids have vision screening by the time they enter kindergarten.
• Vision changes occur the most between the ages of 11-14
Articles
Guide to Children’s Eye Health
Kidsight Program Screens for Vision Disorders
Uncorrected Farsightedness Linked to Literacy Deficits in Preschoolers.
Reading Fluency in School-Aged Children with Bilateral Astigmatism.
25% of school-age children in America suffer from a vision problem.
80% of a child’s learning comes through their vision.
8% of children younger than 18 year old have a diagnosed eye and vision condition.
Jen Bracket – Director, Hazel MacBrien Nursery School
The Lions have been doing vision screenings at Hazel MacBrien for many years.
Children at this age aren’t able to express that they can’t see well.
The Lions vision screening program helps our staff and parents address vision issues quickly.
Without this program, children with vision issues would struggle to meet their developmental goals.