Vision Care

Project Smile, in partnership with the Fort Collins Lions Club, provides vision screening at the same schools and at the same time that dental screening are done. We recognize that the early years in a child’s life are critical in the development of good vision. Kidsight, a Lions Club community service program, is cooperating with Project Smile to provide a simple, non-invasive and cost-free vision screening test to children at our participating schools. Parental permission is required. The testing procedure is painless and is done with a special digital ocular device that is non-invasive. This screening is an excellent complement to the State of Colorado – mandated Snellen test for distance assessment.

Vision testing screens for the following conditions:

1. Hyperopia (“Far-sightedness”) - a condition where a child has difficulty in seeing objects that are near. This can be corrected with glasses.
2. Myopia (“Near-sightedness”) - a condition where a child has difficulty in seeing objects that are distant. This can be corrected with glasses.
3. Astigmatism – a condition in which the cornea as an abnormal curve causing out-of-focus vision.
4. Anisometropia – this is a condition that adversely affects the development of binocular vision in infants and children. Often the brain will suppress the vision of the blurrier eye in a condition called Amblyopia (“Lazy Eye).
5. Strabismus – a condition where the eyes are not directed to an object simultaneously.

Once the screenings are completed the results are recorded for each child and analyzed by eye specialists. These results are later forwarded to the child’s parents with recommendations for further eye treatment if needed. Project Smile can then assist with making eye appointments and providing any needed financial assistance for prescription glasses.