Nine-year-old Joey Magana-Valdovinos was grinning from ear to ear as he walked into Honaunau Elementary School’s library. Hanging on the end of a bookshelf was an eye chart, and he could read every letter.
Nine-year-old Joey Magana-Valdovinos was grinning from ear to ear as he walked into Honaunau Elementary School’s library. Hanging on the end of a bookshelf was an eye chart, and he could read every letter.
It was no surprise that the third-grader was among the first in his class to volunteer for a free vision screening, conducted Wednesday morning by eight Rotary Club of Kona Mauka members.
During the screening, Magana-Valdovinos sat tall in his chair while steadily pronouncing each of the letters with ease and certainty. When asked by his friends, waiting patiently and nervously for their turn, whether he had passed, Magana-Valdovinos answered proudly, “Yes.” Even the tiny letters? “You mean, the bottom one? I can read it from here, and read it two times. P-E-Z-O-L-C-F-T and D. It’s fun and easy,” he said.
Hawaii Rotarians annually conduct basic vision screenings for third-graders in the schools they serve as a part of Keiki Vision, a program started seven years ago by the Rotary Club of Diamond Head. It was founded by Dr. Randy Sakamoto, an Oahu optometrist and Rotarian. Rotarians say this program is important because 20 percent of children ages 9 to 15 nationwide need glasses, and 90 percent of them have not received them.
According to the Hawaii Optometric Association, only 14 percent of children under 6 have been examined by an eye doctor and just half of all children have an eye exam before completing high school. Undetected vision problems could result in learning difficulties and behavior problems, and may result in permanent damage.
The Rotary Club of Kona Mauka has participated in the project since 2005, providing screenings every year for more than 200 students at Honaunau, Hookena and Konawaena Elementary Schools, and at Ke Kula o Ehunuikaimalino K-12 Hawaiian language immersion in Kealakekua.
Though the club focuses on third-graders, it will screen students in other grades who are suspected of having vision problems if there’s time, said Richard Harrison, the club’s New Generations co-chairman.
Each child’s near and distant vision, depth perception and eye movement were checked Wednesday. Third-grader Vaiamoe Talanoa’s favorite test was the depth perception test stereo that required her to identify items from a random dot background. It was also the only test that didn’t make her nervous, she said.
“I found a star, an elephant, a turtle and a moon. But not just any moon — a crescent moon,” she said.
Talanoa, 8, thinks keeping your eyes healthy and knowing what kind of vision you have is important.
“Don’t you want to know what you can’t see? You could be missing something important or beautiful,” she said. “If something looks blurry, be brave and say something. You might just need glasses, and glasses help you see better. Maybe you can do better in school by wearing them.”
Every student screened is given a note that states whether he or she passed. For those who don’t, the test they failed is circled, a comprehensive eye exam is recommended, and parents or guardians needing help finding an eye doctor are encouraged to call the Hawaii Optometric Association. If a student needs glasses, but his family can’t afford them the Rotary Club of Kona Mauka has a donor willing to help, Harrison said.
Third-grade teacher Sheila Tuohy-McNeal said the screenings are a great service for the community because parents don’t always have the time or money to take their child to an optometrist.
Screening third-graders makes sense because, academically, it’s a transition year that’s always been rigorous and more challenging. Children at this age are expected to handle higher academic expectations than before and vision can make a big difference in their performance, Tuohy-McNeal said.
“We want every child to be the best and do their best,” she added.
Five students in her class did not pass one or more screening tests. Besides moving those students from the back of the class to the front, Tuohy-McNeal planned to have conversations with their parents, and monitor for and ensure there’s no teasing if glasses are required.
Prior to the screenings, Rotarians also give the third-graders dictionaries, which include fun items like a sign-language chart and the longest word in the English language. For some students, this is the first book they have ever owned, Harrison said.