Health Services

Vision Screening

Each school is different. At one school we are surrounded by utter cacophony as we perform the screening on the school stage, which does duty as both the cafeteria and the gymnasium, with the boisterous voices that either of those uses can yield. At another we are in a quiet conference room which is too small to hold the Lions along with a classroom of kindergarteners at one time. Perhaps we are in a temporary classroom borrowed from the art teacher, isolated from the main school building. Or we are in the nurse’s office, with a parade of young students complaining of various ailments. But one thing is constant. The children are wonderful. Some are shy, others are bold, and some quickly grasp what we ask of them, while some know very little English. They are eager to help out, to watch as their classmates are scanned. They don’t know quite why they are being scanned, but we do. We are hopefully discovering vision problems early enough that they can be treated. And that makes it all worthwhile.

It is estimated that 5% to 10% of pre-school children have visual problems which, left untreated, can negatively impact their visual development and can lead to barriers to learning. The most common neurological vision problem with children is Amblyopia, also known as Lazy Eye. This is caused by reduced vision without any physical eye disease, which occurs when the brain does not properly process the images sensed by that eye. Another common problem is Strabismus, where the two eyes are not aligned. Finally there are problems associated with refractive errors, where an image is not focused on the retina properly, leading to farsightedness (hyperopia) or nearsightedness (myopia.) In many cases, the earlier the detection, the better chance of successful treatment. The screening machine used can help detect any of these issues, and it is quick and non-intrusive to the child.

The machine we are using is quick, easy to use, non-threatening to the children, and effective. Since 2011 our club along with other clubs in the area such as the Salisbury Metro Lions Club and the Salisbury Heritage Lions Club, have screened over 2,500 children. Of those screened, we have recommended that over 300 of those children be referred to an eye care specialist. That provides the potential to improve 300 lives immeasurably, and that is what Lions Clubs are all about.

Eyeglass Recycling

Our club manages an eyeglass-recycling program that collects eyeglasses, reading glasses, frames and sunglasses throughout Wicomico County. The collected glasses are cleaned and prepared for distribution to those in our community whose eye care is often unaffordable or inaccessible. In just about any dresser drawer, one can find a pair of eyeglasses that are no longer being used. That same pair of eyeglasses can change another person's life. Children's glasses are especially needed. Contact Us if you want to help.

Hearing Aid Recycling

The need is great.  The World Health Organization estimates that 360 million people worldwide have disabling hearing loss.   Yet, current annual production of hearing aids meets less than 10% of the global need. Children with hearing impairment can experience delays in the development of speech, language and cognitive skills. In adults, hearing impairment and deafness can make it difficult to obtain and keep employment. Hearing impaired children and adults are often socially stigmatized and isolated. SLC helps recycle hearing aids so they can be made available for individuals in our community with limited financial resources. Contact Us if you want to help.