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A new piece of equipment is changing how area schools diagnose vision problems in kids.
A vision test that used to take more than 10 minutes, now takes a matter of seconds.
“It's very beneficial to the nurses,” says Isley Elementary nurse Paula Stanley.
The Spot PediaVision looks a lot like a camera and it’s just as easy to use.
The machine emits bird sounds to get kids’ attention and flashes lights to help them focus.
The test is usually complete within a matter of seconds.
“It would usually take 10 minutes to do the test,” says Stanley referring to the eye chart tests the schools have performed in the past.
The equipment is being donated by the Lions club which purchased three of them at a cost of about $9,000 each.
“It would very difficult for us to find funds,” says USD 259 Health Services Director Kathy Hubka.
The Bel Aire Lions Club started testing children at Isley Elementary on Wednesday. More than 40 other schools have expressed interest. The goal is to test all young children in Wichita Schools.
“Like a light bulb comes and I realize what this can really do,” says Helen LeBlanc, Lions Club state chairperson.
“You feel like you've done something great and this screener is when I realized this is what I do as a Lion to help them,” says LeBlanc.
Experts say diagnosing vision problems early is critical in children.
“The sooner we find out a student has a problem that can be corrected, the better that child is going to perform in school,” says Hubka.
If a problem is found, the school will contact parents and help them with the next step.
The Lions Club also helps provide glasses for families that can’t afford them.