Iowa Eye Association News Sept, 2002. Series 2, no. 37.

University of Iowa Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

NOTE: This page is for archival purposes only and may contain information that is outdated.

Coming to Your Senses

Coming to Your Senses is a joint vision and hearing screening project of the Lions Clubs of Iowa and the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, and the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Lions Club Volunteers are trained to objectively screen infants and children (target population ages six to 48 months) for loss of sight. Vision screening is performed with a camera called the MTI Photoscreener^TM. The camera detects eye conditions such as misaligned eyes, cataracts, and problems that need correction with eyeglasses in children who are too young to communicate possible vision problems. Staff in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences interpret the vision screening results. A professional audiologist or qualified hearing screener conducts the hearing screening and records the results of the hearing screening instrument.

The goals of the project are to objectively screen vision and hearing in infants and young children throughout all of Iowa's 99 counties at no cost to families; to educate the public about the risk of undetected vision and hearing loss; and to identify ways to sustain vision and hearing screening programs of this type.

There are 261 Iowa Lions Club volunteers who are currently listed as active in the Project. Between May 2000 and June 2002 the program produced: 540 screening sessions; 7418 children screened; 410 children referred (rate = 5.53%).

University of Iowa, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences personnel serving the project are: Lori Short, Project Coordinator; Wanda Pfeifer, OC(C), COMT, Photographic Reading Center Coordinator; and William E. Scott, M.D., Ophthalmology Medical Director. The project has been made possible with financial support from the Iowa Lions Foundation, the Lions Club International Foundation, and the Wellmark Foundation of Iowa.

To learn more about the Coming to Your Senses Project, or to make a donation, contact the Project Office at 319-353-7616 or visit their website.