Katie Kaiser, School Nurse, Keystone Elementary
Since 2015, the state of Iowa has required children entering kindergarten and third grade to have a vision screening completed. Benton Community School District is fortunate to have Iowa KidSight offer free vision screenings for incoming kindergarten students each spring. Iowa KidSight is a joint project of the Lions Clubs of Iowa and the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital.
During the Iowa KidSight vision screenings, a trained Lions Club volunteer uses a special device to take an image of a child’s eyes. The results of the vision screenings are evaluated by specialists at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital to help determine the presence of eye disorders, including far- and near sightedness, astigmatism, and strabismus. The Iowa KidSight vision screenings are approximately 85-90% effective in detecting problems that can cause reduced vision. If a potential vision problem is detected, the child’s family will receive a letter with further recommendations.