Newtown Lions Club is pleased to announce it will be participating in the 27th Newtown Health Fair planned for Saturday, September 24, from 9 am until noon, at Newtown Community Center.

Following a two-year hiatus, the health fair is returning to the community center at 8 Simpson Street. Presented by Newtown Health District, the event offers free health screenings, giveaways, raffle drawings, flu shots and loads of family health and wellness information being provided by numerous local health care providers and agencies.

The Lions Club’s free vision screenings will use a camera held a few feet away from the person’s eyes checking for unequal pupil size, eye misalignment, near or far sightedness, unequal eye refraction, and blurred vision.

Screenings take just seconds and can be done for those six months of age through adults.

Eyeglasses will also be collected during the health fair. Residents can drop off glasses they no longer use with the Lions, who will clean and prepare them for distribution in developing countries where eye care is often unaffordable and inaccessible.

Student Screenings Planned

Beginning in October, the local Lions Club and Newtown Visiting Nurse Association will be providing free vision screenings at Newtown public schools and St Rose School for students in grades K, 1, 3, 4 and 5, as well as several private nurseries and preschools in town.

Approximately 1,700 Newtown students will be screened, with those who need further assistance referred for a professional follow-up. The Newtown VNA and Lions Club will be using the Welch AllynSpot Vision Screener Model VS100.

The benefit of conducting eye exams for children as young as preschool is in catching problems that may not be obvious to parents or the child. Vision develops between birth and 9 years of age and early detection is critical in starting corrective procedures.

For more information on Lions Eye Screening visit newtownlions.org and click the Eyeglasses Tab on the left-hand side of the page.

For additional Health Fair information contact Newtown Health District at 203-270-4291.