On July 4, the Columbus Lions Club will be providing free eye screenings as part of the Columbus Fabulous 4th Festival. The club has recently purchased a state-of-the-art Spot camera, which allows vision checks to be made in just a few seconds.
When using Spot, a person simply sits down and looks into camera, focusing their vision on blinking colored lights. The camera then takes a series of photos of the person’s eyes using infrared light. The camera (which is also a computer) analyzes those images and instantly indicates any problem. Conditions that Spot can identify include near- and far-sightedness, unequal refractive power, eye structure problems, pupil size deviations and eye misalignment. Each person will receive printed results, which can be taken to their eye professional if treatment is indicated.
The Spot is superior to the “read-the-chart” eye exams because patients do not need to be able to read—even those as young as 6 months can be checked. This is important because some visual defects cannot be corrected once a child reaches school age. Since no speech is required, Spot also proves itself when it comes to testing those who do not speak the same language as the person (in this case, the Lion) who is doing the screening.
The free screenings will be available on July 4, from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. in the old Polk County Court House. The Lions will also be collecting used eyeglasses and selling Lions brooms. For information call 828-894-7062.

– article submitted
by Helen Boucher Trevathan