HKSB News Release
CVS Awards Helen Keller Services for the Blind with Grant $10,000 given as part of its health programs serving children with disabilities
January 3, 2008, New York
Through its Caremark Charitable Trust program, CVS has awarded Helen Keller Services for the Blind (HKSB) a $10,000 grant for its Preschool Vision Screening Program.
HKSB’s Preschool Vision Screening Program provides free child-friendly vision screenings for close to 25,000 children from ages 3 to 5 years, throughout the Kings, Nassau and Suffolk counties. Staff screen for disorders such as amblyopia (“lazy eye”), strabismus (a turn of the eye), myopia (near-sightedness) and astigmatism—disorders that can lead to permanent visual impairment if they are not detected and treated early in a child’s life.
“Because of the generous support from CVS Caremark Charitable Trust, our Preschool Vision Screening Program is able to service thousands of children in the New York metropolitan area,” said John P. Lynch, president of Helen Keller Services for the Blind.
Amblyopia, or “Lazy Eye”, is the leading cause of visual impairment in children. According to the 2004 U.S. Census, there are 1.5 million children aged five or younger with amblyopia in New York State. It usually occurs because both eyes do not see with the same degree of clarity, resulting in blurred or double vision. The child suppresses the poorer image in order to avoid the confusion of double vision. Screening tests for vision problems in preschool-aged children, such as those done by HKSB’s Preschool Vision Screening Program, are a cost-effective and important measure to identify children at risk. With early detection and treatment, most cases are reversible.
Since 1893 Helen Keller Services for the Blind has helped individuals of all ages who are blind or visually impaired, and who may have additional disabilities, develop independence and participate actively in their communities. Helen Keller Services for the Blind is an Accredited Charity approved by the BBB.
