Iowa Eye Association News Oct. 2004. Series 2, no. 39.

University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences

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Coming To Your Senses Honored

Coming To Your Senses (CTYS), a joint vision-screening project of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and the Lions Clubs of Iowa, received an “Above and Beyond” award from Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack. On March 29, 2004, Lori Short and Diane Eglseder received a certificate of appreciation from Governor Vilsack and Lt. Governor Sally Pederson in a ceremony at the Iowa State Historical Building in Des Moines honoring the recipients.

The “Above and Beyond” Recognition Program was created to recognize those who have demonstrated outstanding service in advancing the well-being of Iowa children in the area of health care. CTYS provides free vision screenings for infants and young children throughout the state of Iowa.

Kim Davis, R.N., Lori Hoch, R.N., and Janice Nielsen of the West Central Development Corporation Head Start from Moorehead, Iowa, nominated Short and Eglseder to receive the award on behalf of Coming To Your Senses. “Coming To Your Senses does an excellent job of catching problems that would otherwise have gone unnoticed,” said Davis.

“An incredible force of Iowa Lions Club Volunteers makes this program possible. More than 1,400 have been trained to conduct vision screenings in their local Iowa communities. This particular award stems from the good work of a very dedicated group of Lions Club Volunteers in Villisca, Iowa,” said Short, coordinator of the Coming To Your Senses program.

Since the CTYS program began in May 2000, 31,000 children in Iowa have received screenings. More than 1,500 of these children were referred to local eye care professionals. An estimated 9,000 children in Iowa under age four have poor vision in at least one eye.

Visit the CTYS website