For years, thousands of Culver City students have benefited from the in-school eye examinations paid for by the Culver City Lions Club.
One out of every seven students failed eye examinations in recent tests conducted at Culver City elementary schools, and the failure rate of between 4 percent and 30 percent at the five schools concerned Lions President Bob Knopf, a former member of the School Board.
“Typically the spread runs from 8 to20 percent with an average 12 percent of children requiring eye care,” said Mr. Knopf, who assists eye technicians with the annual testing along with many other Lion volunteers. “It may be an indication of the economic strife parents are experiencing. They may be unable to give attention to this portion of medical care for their children.” The partnership forged by the School District and the Lions helps to make sure these students are assessed and treated.
Schools notify the parents of children who require further eye care, Mr. Knopf said. If parents cannot pay for glasses or advanced care, the Lions help out.
“This is an important and very appreciated service,” said Supt. Myrna Rivera Coté. “By bringing in professionals to conduct eye examinations for our students, the Lions are not only improving the health of our students but also, in many cases, their academic performance. Often, lack of academic progress is the result of poor eyesight.”
Professional eye doctors, paid by the Lions Club, tested almost 1,000 students at the District’s five elementary schools this year for refractive errors, muscle coordination and visual acuity in screenings. More than 130 children scored below acceptable results.
“We’re always surprised at the number of children who fail,” said Eileen Blumin, a member of the Lions board. “We start at the beginning of the school year so students can get glasses and not lose out on a year’s worth of learning. If you can’t read, you can’t learn.”
Mr. Knopf said many pediatricians do not catch eye problems in cursory exams during annual checkups. “This is not their expertise,” he said. “Our tests are more thorough.”
Because state law requires schools to provide a minimum level of eye screening, the Lions save the District $4,000 each year. and provide elementary-age students with even more thorough eye screenings than are prescribed by state law, according to Blumin.
The Lions have provided free eyesight screenings since 1951, testing more than 150,000 students.
The service club meets on the first and third Thursdays, at 12 noon, at the Sizzler restaurant on Sepulveda Boulevard, across from Westfield Fox Hills Mall. For information: 310.202.7377.
