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It used to be that all public school children's eyes were tested by the school nurse or someone with such skills who visited the schools on a regular basis. Then as it periodically does, the state ran into financial difficulties and simply stopped giving these examinations. Dr. Randall Sakamoto then stepped into the breach and created a simplified screening test for near vision, far vision,  and stereo vision as well as a check list of readily observable eye conditions which he called "Keiki Vision". The screening is simple enough that volunteers can be trained to do it readily especially if they are paired with experienced volunteers.

There are several ways to do the screenings, with some clubs pairing the screenings with the Dictionary Project so that both are done the same morning, and other clubs focusing only on the Keiki Vision itself. If there aren't enough volunteers for a given school, other clubs can be involved such as in the above picture where the Rotary Clubs of Hilo and Hilo Bay worked together at E. B. De Silva Elementary School. Clubs also have involved spouses, Rotaractors and Lions Club members in these activities. A suggested order of operations is listed at the top of the Download section for your convenience.

The various downloads associated with this page both give examples of the types of screening forms as well as parental permission forms and forms to go home to the parents after the screening. We suggest that it is important to have the parental permission form request that the screening results be shared with the teachers and health aide. In this way, these two groups can combine the results with their own observations and possibly discuss the results during parent conferences.

Unlike the Dictionary Project, not all Rotary Clubs engage in Keiki Vision screening. To further complicate things, the Lions Clubs have come up with their own vision screening test which is somewhat more modern and which lends itself to statistical analysis. Dr. Cedric Mitsui of RC Hilo Bay has told us that since Rotarians generally screen only third grade students, that there is a general consensus that the Lions Clubs will screen first and fifth graders. If no Rotary Club is screening the third graders in a given school and does not intend to, then it is possible that the local Lions Clubs will step in to make sure that the children do get a screening regardless of who does it.

For those parents who cannot afford a professional eye examination, the Hawaii Department of Health Children With Special Needs Branch disburses funds donated by the Hawaii Lions Foundation Uninsured-Under-Insured Fund.