More than a hundred lucky kids got their eyes tested today at the Calvary Temple Primary School today, compliments Belize City Lions, a non-profit organization devoted to ''Sight Conservation and Work with the Blind".
The free clinic is in celebration of World Lions Sight Day, which has been designated for tomorrow, October 8th.
Belize joined Lions in 1973, and since then thousands of Belizeans, young and old, have benefitted from free sight screening, eyeglasses, glaucoma treatment and cataract surgery.
Lion's International calls its volunteers 'knights of the blind', Jim McFadzean had an opportunity today, to witness the work of some of Belize's own 'knights of the blind'!
Vinod Bhojwani, President Belize City Lion's Club
"Today we have about 200 children and we will see and continue in the month of October, we will do more. That will be done all over the world, all the Lions Club in the world and this has been done from 1925."
Jim McFadzean
"From the preliminary results you are not seeing any of the major diseases such as glaucoma anything more serious than being far sighted or near sighted?"
Dr. Amin Hegar Jr. - Optometrist
"Well today we are just doing the screening. Dealing with the kids we have to know whether they are far sighted or near
sighted because the kids read the books and they have to see the blackboard as well, so if the kids doesn't see well they can't acknowledge the information that they are seeing. So in the 200 students we get about 15% of the students that
actually needs glasses."
Jim McFadzean
"What happens after the tests are done of these kids who prove to be suffering problems with their vision?"
Luis Hernandez, Vice President Belize City Lion's Club
"Well we will take them to the specialist the doctor and he will prescribe the eye glasses that they really needs and if they have glaucoma or other infections in the eyes then we will treat it as well."
Jim McFadzean
"And this is all free to the students?"
Luis Hernandez, Vice President Belize City Lion's Club
"It's all free for the students."
According to Bhojwani, Belize City Lions club is able to provide these services thru the generosity and support it receives from the business community and residents of the city. Presently, there are over 45,000 Lions Club worldwide in 206 countries.
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