TROY-Troy University’s Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion will provide free vision screening for children ages 2-18 of Pike and Bullock counties on April 19, through a program known as FocusFirst.

The eye screening is being held in conjunction with the University’s annual Helen Keller Lecture activities. James Robert “Radio” Kennedy and Coach Harold Jones will be guest speakers for the annual lecture, which will be held April 17 at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. in Claudia Crosby Theater on the Troy Campus.

FocusFirst is designed to provide cost-effective direct response to vision problems of underprivileged children living in urban and rural poverty within the state.  College undergraduates and graduate students are trained through the FocusFirst program to assist in appropriate examination, diagnosis and treatment.

Since the program’s start in 2004, more than 450 student volunteers have screened more than 12,000 of Alabama’s children. Potential vision problems were detected in about 10.6 percent of those children, and they are now receiving proper follow-up care.

Dr. Candice Howard-Shaughnessy, assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion, said the noninvasive vision screening takes about 10 minutes and does not involve eye drops.

“They simply take a picture of the child’s eyes, and it can detect up to five potential problems,” Dr. Howard-Shaughnessy said. “Without proper eyesight children will not progress in their growth and development as they should. Therefore, our students, as future teachers, are hopefully preventing these types of delays by catching potential vision problems before it is too late.”

FocusFirst screenings will take place in the second floor lounge of the Trojan Center on the Troy Campus from 2 to 7 p.m.  In addition to screenings, an ALL Kids representative will be onsite with an exhibit.  This event is free and open to the public.

In addition to the eye screening and lecture, the movie “Radio” will be presented in Movie Gallery Veterans Stadium at 7 p.m. on April 16 and an art exhibit featuring artwork from area school children is set for April 18 on the Bibb Graves Quad, weather permitting.

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