From Vision Resource Center of Berks County
Vision Resource Center of Berks County is ramping up its year-round complimentary vision screening services as families prepare to go back to school. These screenings are available for children ages 6 months to 6 years as a preventative tool for detecting vision issues. In previous years, screenings across 65 local sites helped detect early signs of conditions ranging from cataracts to neuroblastoma, prompting families to follow up with a doctor.
Since its founding by the Reading Lions Club in 1929, the Vision Resource Center of Berks County has spent decades reaching out to the local vision-impaired community. What began as a local support group almost a century ago has evolved to offer monthly support programs, social events, and transportation services. Today, we partner with preschools, daycare centers and beyond on a first-come, first-served basis to bring screenings to a vulnerable population: children too young to properly express that they’re having vision issues. Local educators are often the first to flag these issues.
“Preschool teachers and childcare staff are incredibly in tune with their students. They are often the first to notice when a child resists paper and pencil table work, or gets bored and restless during storytime because they can’t see the book from the back of the rug. Educators frequently tell us they knew something was wrong, but just couldn’t pinpoint what it was. Our free vision screenings provide that concrete answer, turning what looked like a behavioral or attention issue into a clear, correctable path forward before the child even enters kindergarten,” said Lori Peters, President, Vision Resource Center of Berks County.
We welcome childhood educators, religious leaders and youth program coordinators to contact us about free vision screening services. To ensure a smooth experience for host sites, each screening follows a standardized process:
- Preparation: The vision screening process requires a room with 5 feet of minimum clearance, accessible power outlets, and lighting that can be lowered/dimmed. Each parent or guardian must also provide a permission slip before a screening. A site can collect the permission slips up until the day of the screenings. The permission slips are sent to the site when the date is scheduled for the screening and also a week prior.
- Screening day: Our staff member utilizes a state-of-the-art Welch Allyn Spot Vision Screener. It is a handheld, portable camera designed to quickly and easily check young children for vision issues. The device takes a picture of the child’s eyes from a comfortable, non-invasive 3-foot distance without requiring them to speak or respond.
- Results: After the screening is complete, the staff member will use a portable printer to print the Vision Screening Result Form immediately. If a child requires a follow-up with a specialist, there’s a provided comprehensive notification packet for the parent/guardian. This includes a list of local pediatric optometrists and ophthalmologists, plus the intake paperwork for the doctor to complete at the initial appointment.
The Vision Resource Center of Berks County team visits participating locations on an annual basis after the initial screening. Contact Vision Resource Center of Berks County’s Caseworker Lori Johnston at ljohnston@vrcberks.org or 610-375-8407 ext. 114 to schedule your first screening appointment.
About Vision Resource Center of Berks County
For nearly a century, the Vision Resource Center of Berks County has provided visually impaired individuals and their caregivers support, rehabilitation, and advocacy services. Founded by the Reading Lions Club in 1929, the center’s mission is to empower individuals with vision loss in Berks County and those who support them to achieve independence and full community participation through comprehensive early intervention, education, and ongoing support that maximizes remaining vision and enhances quality of life. Beyond direct support, the organization offers early detection vision screenings and community education throughout Berks County. For more information, visit vrcberks.org or reach them at 610-375-8407.
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