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 R-H Eye Exams Raise a Skeptic Brow 

   Written by on October 30, 2014 at 1:05 pm

A recent occurrence at Randolph-Henry High School that had some students, parents, and citizens on edge and suspicious has finally been put to rest once and for all. The Charlotte County Lions Club, in an effort to supplement the mandatory and singular eye examination for tenth graders at the school, sponsored the use of an intensive eye exam machine for use on all of the students at local Randolph-Henry High School. After the first day of examinations, several calls were received at the school from concerned parents as to what the examinations were exactly for, and what was being done with the records of examinations. Some even went so far as to ask if the Lions Club and school were performing retinal scans on the students and turning the records over to the government.

It has been known for some time now that the retinas of every person’s eyes have blood vessel patterns that are completely unique to them. According to sources, the chances of duplication in Retinography, (the science of using this type of scan for identification), are around one in one million. These odds make retinal scanning an extremely reliable identification method. Nevertheless, as effective as this type of identification may be, it was not the intention of the Lions Club or the school. The welfare and health of the approximately 550 students that attend Randolph-Henry High School was, according to Principal Robbie Mason and spokespersons for the Charlotte County Lions Club.

Medical research has determined that a retinal scan can also predict eye disorders that other types of exams are useless in detecting. Its full potential remains untapped even today. Retinal scanning is currently being researched as a method of predicting Alzheimer’s disease years in advance of a diagnosis. A retinal scan is an intensive and comprehensive method of examining the eyes that is often out of the reach of many families due to expense. It was for this very reason that the Charlotte County Lions Club sponsored the use of the machine for the students.

Robbie Mason, the principal at Randolph-Henry, was invited to last week’s regular meeting of the Lions Club, along with the Southside Messenger, in an effort to create an open dialog that would put any and all residents’ concerns to rest. The areas of greatest concern were: ‘What type of machine was being used?’ and ‘What was being done with the records after the students were examined?’ Principal Mason made it very clear at the meeting that the only records created during the examination process were sent home to the parents of each student. The machine used to perform the examination did not have a “memory” or record saving capability. According to the principal, the eye test, while truly a gift to the students and school, was just the beginning of a very important process for those students with eye problems.

“We see things in the classroom, students squinting at the blackboard, for example, that, over time, a teacher can tie to a student’s academic performance sometimes.” He said in a later conversation with the Southside Messenger, “Thanks to the Lions Club and the use of the machine, we were able to do something definitive to begin to solve an eye problem for a student that may otherwise go untreated.”

Charlotte County’s Lions Club has been doing this kind of behind the scenes work around here for some time now. They have provided funds for eyeglasses for several students, as well as offering a helping hand repeatedly to families in need. They have even made charitable donations to the American Cancer Society. The Lions Club is the largest service organization in the world, with a total estimated membership of around 1.35 million members. The Eyeglasses and Sight Programs have been, and remain one of the main focuses of their work. The “White Cane” fundraising program is a prime example of the dedication of the Lions Club to sight. It has been in existence since the 1930’s.  The very same concern and dedication to cause is evident in the Charlotte County group.

A final word from Principal Mason summed up the gratitude felt overall for the eye exams:

“I want to extend a thanks to the Lions Club for coming out and performing vision tests for our students at Randolph-Henry. Without their equipment and expertise, we would not have been able to test over 550 of our students. The technology that the Lions Club uses is a huge time-saver and much more accurate than the traditional vision tests.”

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