While perusing the Edwardsburg Public Schools Open House early next week, children will have the opportunity to receive a free eye screening.

The Lions Club of Michigan Project KidSight will be offering free eye screenings for three days during Edwardsburg Public Schools’ Open House.

The first day will take place from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 28 at Eagle Lake Elementary. The second day will take place from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 29 at Edwardsburg Intermediate School. The third day will take place from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Edwardsburg Primary School.

The screening procedure is done by a SPOT camera performed by one of the Edwardsburg Lions Club members.

A child being screened will look into the SPOT camera at a distance of about 39 inches away, and within seconds, the camera will create a diagnostic result according to the child’s age. If the child passes, nothing needs to be done, but if a diagnostic result identifies a problem it will give the screener the reason a problem is detected.

Once a child is found with an issue, the screener will print a picture of the child’s eyes and an informational packet will be given to the parents to take to the doctor for further examination.

The Edwardsburg Lions Club has long been involved in providing these screenings and are dedicated to ensuring that children have able to have access to screens which may expose issues they have with their eyesight, so it can be taken care at an early age to give them quality of life, said Lion’s Club member and Project KidSight organizer Tanda Stiffler.

Having screened nearly 20,000 children over the last decade from different parts of the state, Stiffler believes that getting eye screenings early in life is important for children, especially since eye issues can sometimes explain poor school performance.

“It makes all the difference in the world for these kids,” Stiffler said. “If they can’t see well, they lose interest, especially if they can’t see the whiteboard where the teacher is writing. A lot of these kids don’t even know to say something; they have been this way all their lives. That’s why the SPOT camera is important.”

More than just children, parents often don’t know to recognize when children are struggling with their eyesight.

“Parents often aren’t even aware [that their child has sight issues],” Stiffler said. “I’ve had parents come up to me and say that we are the reason that their kid has glasses and can see better.”

The Edwardsburg Lion’s Club would encourage anyone to get their eyes checked at the Project KidsSight tent at the EPS Open House, particularly because the program is free.

“It’s an awesome, awesome program,” Stiffler said.