This story written by Jack Sowers originally appeared in the Jan-Feb 2003 edition of Rounds

Going eye to eye

                                                              

First-year student Candace
Brown conducts vision screening at an
Athens County elementary school this
fall. The eye screening clinics, in
collaboration with AmeriCorps, were
part of Community Service Programs
efforts to provide adequate vision
testing for children in Southeastern Ohio.

 

     More than 1,000 Athens County youngsters received free vision screenings this fall through Community Service Programs “Eye To Eye” screening clinics. Volunteers from CSP’s AmeriCorps and the Alexander Lions Club, as well as OU- COM students, screened first-, third-, fifth- and seventh- and ninth-graders from seven schools in three school systems. Children were screened over a six-week period from mid-October through the end of November for potential problems in visual acuity, depth perception and colorblindness.

     The Eye To Eye program has proved to be vital for the area because many schools do not have nurses on-site. On-site school nurses are required by Ohio law to give screenings; where there are no nurses, no screenings are required. “Because school systems are under-funded and understaffed, vision screenings have really become a primary priority for our program,” says CSP Supervisor Nancy Schell. “It’s wonderful because we have volunteers from multiple backgrounds coming together for a common purpose.”

     The Eye To Eye program started last year when Prevent Blindness Ohio began certifying volunteers through Athens optometrists Sherry Crawford, O.D. Athens optometrist Kathy Biddinger, O.D., also assists in providing vision screenings. According to information provided by Prevent Blindness, one school-age child in four has vision problems. One preschool-age child in 20 has an eye problem that, left undetected, can lead to permanent loss of vision.

     “The screenings went really well,” says AmeriCorps’ Siobhan O’Connor, who coordinated the volunteers at several school sites. “The only problem was finding a good time for all students to be screened at one time.”

     The Eye To Eye screenings included a left-right acuity (eye chart) test, a colorblindness test for boys (colorblindness is exceedingly rare among girls) and a stereopsis test that detects problems in depth perception. When the vision screeners noted a potential vision problem, a letter advising a follow-up screening was sent home to parents.

     The schools visited for the Eye To Eye program included Nelsonville Elementary School, Nelsonville Middle School, Amesville Elementary School, Coolville Elementary School and elementary through high schools in Alexander.

     Kate Wiseman, R.N., Nelsonville-York Junior High School and Nelsonville-York High School, said the assistance provided by AmeriCorps volunteers helped speed the process of vision screenings. “I think they’re very helpful. We are very grateful for them,” Wiseman said.

     “They helped us get our work done in a timelier manner, and they helped us be more thorough in our job.”

      The volunteers also helped get referrals out faster, she said. “They have very much been an asset for us. Their help is always welcomed.”