Senior Corps- RSVP Performance Measure Children's Vision Screening Program-Healthy Futures

Parents are often not aware of the need to have their children’s eyes checked for Amblyopia (lazy eye) which is the most common cause of childhood visual impairment. Although it is treatable, it must be addressed as early as possible to achieve the best outcome. Most children do not have their eyes tested until they are required to do so for the start of school at age six. Amblyopia is a condition in which one eye has reduced or dim vision but is otherwise healthy.
• Between two and four percent of children have Amblyopia. • Amblyopia may develop secondarily to strabismus or “cross-eyed” if not checked and corrected early enough. • Amblyopia may be detected with distance visual acuity using Stereopsis. Statistics show that young children (ages 3-6) not screened for Stereopsis (depth perception) by the age of six have a greater risk of permanent eye damage. Since Amblyopia is treatable, especially in younger chil¬dren, every effort should be made for a timely diagnosis. Diagnosing Amblyopia early is important. Information packets are sent to parents (caregivers) prior to the screening. Schools may offer visual screening to students in grades one and three. Referral letters for a professional examination are sent to families of children who fail the screening. If a child is referred for professional testing and cannot afford it, Prevent Blindness Indiana may help financially.

LaDonna Lane, RSVP Vision Screening Coordinator, schedules volunteer training each August. RSVP volunteers must be certified to assist with vision screening. Teams are then organized and supply boxes filled. She then contacts Head Start Centers and Day Care facilities to schedule screening dates.

This past year, LaDonna collaborated with the Public Schools to screen kindergarten students. Although RSVP has had the Vision Screening program for twelve years, this is the first time we have been invited into the Knox County public schools. This partnership, along with LaDonna’s persistence in contacting every child care facility has increased our screening totals to 1,092. Of those, 57 were referred for professional testing. We now screen youngsters at kindergarten roundups, where an additional 167 children were screened.

We received a thank you note from a parent telling us that the Ophthalmologist told them the little boy would have lost sight in one eye within a year had he not been screened and tested. Another child was found to be color blind.

Since retiring as an elementary school teacher, she has accumulated 689.50 hours of service. LaDonna is an RSVP Advisory Council member and volunteers with the Knox County Think Pink program. This local program leaves 90% of the profits in the Knox County area to be used for services to cancer patients including wigs, transportation for treatments and respite care for patients with small children, etc.

Without the hard work and super organizational skills of coordinator LaDonna Lane, the Vision Screening program would not function. She has demonstrated outstanding efforts and has made a very positive difference in the Knox County community.