The Lions District 14-U Kid Sight program is returning this year for a segment of Lehighton Area School District’s younger students and the two sides vowed Monday night to work together to continue the screenings in the future.

Dave Leon, district coordinator for the Kid Sight program, told LASD directors during a workshop meeting that the Lions Club aims to screen 19,000 kids throughout Pike, Monroe, Carbon and Schuylkill counties, but is only reaching around 4,400 at its peak.

The Lions Club uses its hand-held Welch Allyn Spot auto-refraction device, which is held about 3 feet from a child to measure required data and pick up on signs of nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism, among other concerns.

“This is primarily for children from 6 months old to 6 years old,” Leon said. “Eighty percent of learning is visual, and when you kids can’t see properly, it leads to behavioral disorders and they stop socializing. Kids don’t always know they have a problem. They think what is happening to them is normal and that is where our cameras come in.”

After the screening, the student gets an instant printout with results to take to their eye doctor, if further steps need to be taken.

In late April, the Lions Club will be at Lehighton Area Elementary Center screening prekindergarten, kindergarten and life skills students if their parents give permission. Leon, however, said Lehighton is the only district to ask for parental permission, meaning only 137 students, or about half, of the targeted demographic are currently scheduled to be screened.

“This is above and beyond the screening that our school nurses do,” acting LASD Superintendent Jack Corby said. “There is a benefit to what the Lions Club is doing in that some of our younger students may not communicate as well and the camera they use only needs their attention for a couple of seconds.”

Former Lehighton school board member Gail Maholick has championed the Lions Club eye screenings. Maholick said the screenings are of great need now as more students have developed nearsightedness from extended time looking at smaller screens.

“There was an article from South Carolina that one out of every two students tested had nearsightedness so I think we should be giving these screenings to as many students as possible.”

The state requires school districts give annual eye exams to students. Those exams are most often conducted by school nurses.

“I don’t think this program is detrimental if it’s used in conjunction with the regular eye exam,” Director Barbara Bowes said. “It may show some benefit if it shows that a student’s gaze is off. I wouldn’t want to see it as our only screening tool, but I think there is a benefit.”

In 2018, the Lions Club screened 818 students in Lehighton and that yielded 92 referrals.

Corby said the district can offer the Lions Club space in the future, possibly on a weekend, to do screenings for parents who are interested in bringing in their child.

“I can also see the benefit in having this offered at open houses or kindergarten registration,” Corby said. “I’d like to see the district and the Lions Club come up with a plan moving forward as to how this screening will be used.”