Free vision screening will be offered at the Hawaii County Fair in Hilo. ADVERTISING Free vision screening will be offered at the Hawaii County Fair in Hilo. The community is encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity and learn more
Free vision screening will be offered at the Hawaii County Fair in Hilo.
The community is encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity and learn more about eye health, in between snacking and enjoying carnival rides, and to stop by the Half-Helen Vision Screening booth next to the Vision Van.
The fair starts from 5:30 p.m.-midnight Thursday. Vision screenings will be offered 5:30 p.m.-midnight Friday and 10 a.m.-midnight Saturday, Sept. 20. Visit www.halfhelen.org for more information.
“Our mission is to identify preventable vision and hearing barriers to academic success by providing access to affordable screening services,” said foundation executive director Chelsea Elliott. “We utilize advanced photoscreening technology that delivers comprehensive vision screenings in seconds.”
The Half-Helen Foundation is a nonprofit oganization that partners with local Lions Clubs and grassroots community organizations to conduct screenings and operations.
But what is a vision screening exactly and why is it important?
The Half-Helen Foundation uses an advanced photoscreening camera called SPOT that takes a snapshot of the surface of the eye. In less than 90 seconds, the device can help determine if you have nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), blurry vision (astigmatism), or several other vision impairments. After being screened, the device prints a personalized diagram of the eyes and detailed information an optometrist can use during an eye exam.
It is estimated 80 percent of learning is acquired visually, and having healthy eyesight is important to a child’s ability to succeed in education. Early detection and prevention are paramount in eliminating potential barriers to a child’s learning, and the Half-Helen Foundation already launched a countywide program in Maui to provide this screening service to keiki in public schools, Elliott said.
