3-year-old Freye celebrated by Iowa KidSight

     Iowa KidSight, a collaborative initiative between the Lions Club of Iowa and the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital, proudly announced the completion of its 750,000 vision screening last week. This remarkable milestone marks a significant achievement in their ongoing mission to enhance early detection and treatment of vision impairments in young children across Iowa communities.

   A child's vision should be checked yearly for conditions such as: misaligned eyes, cataracts, and problems that need correction with eyeglasses.

   The 750,000 vision screening milestone was reached at Sacred Heart Preschool in Monticello, where Monticello Lions Club members Deb Kuhn and John Sauser conducted the screening. The recipient of this landmark screening was 3-year-old Ryleigh Freye. She is the daughter of Jayme and Tyler Freye.

   A celebration of this milestone took place at Sacred Heart Preschool on May 2.

   "Ryleigh is one lucky kid; she does not need any glasses," noted Chelle Lehman, program manager for Iowa KidSight.

   Kuhn, Sauser, and Freye were all presented with certificates to acknowledge this milestone. KidSight also presented the entire Monticello Lions Club with a certificate of appreciation.

   "We enjoy doing this so much," commented Kuhn.

   "It's not just us; it's the team," Sauser said of the entire Lions Club.

   KidSight also gifted Freye with a copy of "So Much More to See," the official Iowa KidSight children's book about the importance of vision screenings.

   The students of Sacred Heart Preschool were also treated to cupcakes.

   Since its inception in May 2000, Iowa KidSight has been dedicated to providing vision screenings for infants and young children from 6 months of age through kindergarten, completely free of charge. This initiative includes all 99 counties of Iowa, ensuring accessibility to vision screening services for families statewide.

   The goals of Iowa KidSight:

   • Objectively screen vision in infants and young children throughout all of Iowa's 99 counties, for FREE

   • Educate the public about the risk of undetected vision loss

   • Identify ways to sustain vision screening programs of this type

   In 2023, 45,000 children in Iowa were screened. These screenings took place in 400-plus towns across Iowa.

   The primary objectives of Iowa KidSight include the early screening of vision among young children statewide and public education about the risks associated with undetected vision problems. Through the dedication of Lions Club volunteers and the expertise of healthcare professionals, Iowa KidSight continues to make significant strides in achieving these goals.

   For more information about Iowa KidSight, visit IowaKidSight.org.