LEWISTON, Maine — Eyemart Express, a leading optical retailer and the fastest provider of quality prescription eyewear in the industry, has donated a Welch Allyn Spot™ Vision Screener to Lewiston Public Schools to assist with the district’s annual screening of more than 5,000 students. Annual vision screenings at school help identify kids who may benefit from a thorough eye exam and corrective eyewear like glasses, as more than 25 percent of children who exhibit learning difficulties in the classroom are unable to see clearly, according to The Vision Therapy Center.
The state-of-the-art vision screener is a handheld device that gives a digital reading in five seconds and enables the district to screen every child in approximately three months. Traditional screenings conducted with a manual eye chart took the entire school year.
“Research shows that early vision detection is key for kids and their learning process,” said Paula Blomquist, chief marketing and merchandising officer at Eyemart Express. “Our number one goal with this donation is to make a difference by directing kids who need it to the eye doctor.”
The new vision screener is especially beneficial for younger kids with limited speaking abilities or language barriers. Also, the increased accuracy of digital readings will identify kids who may have barely passed the old screening method, but still had challenges seeing clearly.
“We are excited about Eyemart Express’ generous donation,” said Wendie Bourgoin, MA, BSN, RN, school nurse coordinator for Lewiston Public Schools. “Our district will have the largest elementary school in Maine next year, so this screener will be a huge asset to our students and their families.”
In addition to the vision screener, Eyemart Express is providing every Lewiston Public Schools nurse with a kit to assist students with emergency glasses repairs.
“We value being part of the Lewiston and Auburn communities with our recent Auburn store opening and are happy to give back in a meaningful way,” said Ms. Blomquist.
About Eyemart Express
Eyemart Express (EyemartExpress.com), is a national optical retailer known for providing high-quality prescription eyewear in as little as 30 minutes. Eyemart Express ranks among the top 10 optical retailers in the country with its family of brands: Vision 4 Less, Visionmart Express, and Eyewear Express. The company is based in Farmers Branch, Texas, and has 232 stores in 42 states. Eyemart Express offers a robust frame selection for the whole family with more than 2,000 frames in every store from brands such as Ray-Ban, Coach, Nike, and Disney. On-site lens labs and skilled lab techs in stores can deliver high-quality glasses in as little as 30 minutes.
