The Aberdeen Lions Club recently purchased a vision-screening device, and members have been going to all the local schools to diagnose which kids may need a formal eye exam.

Lions Club member Erv Granahan and others have been traveling to many of Grays Harbor County’s elementary and preschools, scanning hundreds of kids’ eyes with the new machine.

The device doesn’t give as precise feedback as a visit to a real eye-care specialist, but it allows them to determine any of six different deficiencies such as being nearsighted, farsighted, cataracts and more.

Granahan said the Lions are offering this to schools to assist with a new state mandate to test grades K-7 for vision, and that they’ve already scanned more than 1,000 students and a few adults.

When using it, the device is lined up with the students eyes, and then scans them, before giving a report on whether they need a checkup, which can then be printed out and given to parents.

Louis Krauss | The Daily World Lions Club member Erv Granahan, left shows a Stevens Elementary student the vision screener report after scanning his eyes with it.

Louis Krauss | The Daily World Lions Club member Erv Granahan, left shows a Stevens Elementary student the vision screener report after scanning his eyes with it.