Free Vision Screenings for Area Children in Need – PR.com
Tampa, FL, February 17, 2024 –(PR.com)– Lions World Vision Institute Foundation is expanding its Pediatric Vision Program beyond the classroom into the community due to funding from the State of Florida Department of Health. LWVI is offering a series of free vision screenings, exams, and glasses to anyone in the community aged 5-17. The first free pediatric vision clinic will be held Monday, February 26, from 4 to 7 PM at the Sunshine Health Wellness Center at 200 W. Waters Avenue, Tampa, Florida 33605. A parent or guardian authorized to sign a waiver must accompany the children. Registration is encouraged. Children can be registered at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4EADAD2BA4F8C25-47750246-youth#/. Additional clinics are being scheduled for Pinellas and Pasco counties. Visit https://lwvi.org/vision-health-program/ for more information.
Sharon Boyes, the Foundation Executive Director of Lions World Vision Institute, shared alarming statistics about the need for expanded vision care. “Vision is a strong predictor of academic performance in children,” she said. “Yet, one in four children have an undiagnosed vision problem.”
“Vision disorders in children affect cognitive, social, and physical development, future health, and well-being. An eye health problem can be why a child does not perform well at school,” Boyes continued.
Conditions such as amblyopia (lazy eye) or strabismus (crossed eye) can go undetected and, if not addressed by the time a child is eight years old when eyesight is fully developed, can lead to lifelong problems and result in an irreversible loss of sight. The Lions World Vision Institute Foundation is dedicated to the ocular health of our nation’s children by removing the primary obstacles to accessing proper care, including the scarcity of healthcare professionals, limited transportation options, absence of health insurance, financial constraints, and language barriers.
About Lions World Vision Institute
Lions World Vision Institute is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to setting new standards for ocular endeavors that will improve visual outcomes and quality of life for people who are blind or visually impaired. Established in 2005, the LWVI Foundation serves as the fundraising and community outreach arm of the organization. It is a separate 501(c)3 with its own Board of Directors. The LWVI foundation is grounded in the belief that everyone deserves the gift of sight. We restore sight in our community and around the globe through various programs. Support our life-changing work so the world can see. Visit our website to see how you can be the difference in someone’s sight: www.LWVI.org