Mom: Durham Lions Club's free vision screenings helped saved my son's eye muscles
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DURHAM (WTVD) -- A local organization has set out to provide free vision screenings for children.
The Durham Lions Club wants to catch eye conditions in kids early so some of them can avoid things, like surgery, down the road.
In a flash, a camera-like machine is able to measure information about their eyes as they dilate in the dim lighting.
They're checking for five eye conditions that can get worse with age.
The Durham Lions Club has made it their mission to run these vision screenings, and they're hoping to screen every child between the ages of 3 and 6 for free.
Parents who are interested in getting their child's vision screened by the Durham Lions Club should send them an email
It's important to note that they're not licensed, medical professionals. They run the screenings to refer children with results that are "out of range" to go to an eye doctor.
Something that happened to 3-year-old Eli Briola, who has severe astigmatism in both eyes.
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"It's made a big difference to catch it," said his mother, Erica Briola. "It kept us from having any muscle degeneration or any higher needs for him so patching or potentially surgery."
They've screened 367 children so far, referring about 15 of them to seek out a vision exam from a professional.
If you'd like to support the Durham Lions Club, they're holding a pancake fundraiser to benefit their programs, like the vision screening, on November 6 and 7.
More information about the event can be found online.
