Boone Lions Club Host Vision Van This Saturday


High Country residents are invited to have their eyes examined for free when the Boone Area Lions Club hosts the Vision Van. The Van will be in the Walmart parking lot in Boone on Saturday, June 30 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. According to Boone Area Lions president, Roger Bodo, Lions are dedicated to combating the leading causes of blindness and assist in preserving vision as well as providing assistance and support to visually impaired residents of the High Country. The Vision Van is a statewide project of North Carolina Lions, Inc. and is actually a 40 foot customized bus fully equipped to offer free vision screening. The service will only be a screening not a full eye examination and includes a visual acuity test to test both near and far vision, a field vision test to see how well a person sees motion in the field of vision while looking at a fixed object, and a pressure check for the possibility of glaucoma.  If other eye problems are discovered by an on-site examination by an eye care professional the person will be referred for further examination to a professional eye care specialist of his or her choice. Trained Lions club members will administer the tests, and examinations will be given by Dr. Jeff Sutton of the Family Eye Care Center. The screening lasts no more than 20 minutes and is an important part of the early detection of serious eye problems. Participants must be at least 6 years old and minors under the age of 18 must have a parent or guardian sign the registration form. The Boone Area Lions Club meets on the first and third Tuesdays at 12:30 pm at the Sagebrush Steak House. For more information about the Boone Area Lions Club or the Vision Van, call Roger Bodo at 828-964-2079 or Susan Cole at 336-877-1321.