Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Vision Screening is What We Do

The Mendenhall Flying Lions has been busy with vision screening this month.  We didn't waste any time once school started getting in touch with nurses in the Juneau School District and public health nurses for Southeast communities to see what we could schedule.

And a HUGE thanks to all the Lions who take time out of their busy schedules to show up at the schools and travel out of town to provide this valuable service.

Here's how September went:

Valley Baptist Academy (preschool):  screened 79 with 7 referrals
Floyd Dryden Middle School (6th graders):  screened 165 with 39 referrals
Riverbend Elementary (Preschool):  screened 35 with 4 referrals
Angoon (preschool, elementary, and high school):  screened 72 with 21 referrals

The Angoon screening breaks down like this:
  Preschool:  screened 7 with 3 referrals
  Elementary:  screened 41 with 6 referrals
  High School:  screened 24 with 12 referrals (but six were missing their glasses)

What I find interesting is that most schools only want us to screen their preschool, kindergarten, and sometimes first graders.  Do they not think children's eyes can get worse?   Angoon High School is a good example of the answer to this.... YES!   We caught six children in high school who were not aware they needed glasses....  So why, most cases, are we only allowed to screen the younger children?

This is an ongoing frustration for us.  But we continue on and take what they give us!

This has been a good start for the school year with lots of others in the works.  Next month we head to Gustavus, Hoonah, and Wrangell and are presently working on Sitka schools and several other schools here in town.

We Serve!
Lion Nancy Norton

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