One of the many ways South Carolina Lions Clubs serve their communities is by providing free vision screenings in schools, daycares, and preschools throughout South Carolina. According to educational experts, 80% of learning is visual. If a child can’t see well, he/she can’t learn well. Most young children don’t get their vision screened until they have problems learning or paying attention in school. By then, it may already be too late. Unless vision problems are detected early and corrected, the problems risk becoming permanent by age 7.

South Carolina Lions are working to ensure eye screenings and follow-up care are given to all children using one of the excellent screening devices specifically manufactured for this purpose. About 7-15% of children screened will be referred for a follow-up exam by an eye-care professional. The screening devices detect risk factors for amblyopia, such as strabismus (eyes that cross or wander out), refractive errors, and unequal vision between the two eyes, and potentially even more serious issues, such as cataracts and eye cancer.

Over the past three years, South Carolina Lions have screened over 130,000 children with an
average 15% referral rate. That is 19,500 children throughout South Carolina referred to an eye
care professional over the past three years.