The Cloisters are very proud to have played a small part in the Lions Sight UK initiative. This is a far reaching programme to identify undiagnosed vision problems in children aged 4 to 11 throughout the British Isles.

On the 28th June the Cloisters hosted the training session for 24 Lions to enable them to perform the non-invasive screenings in the local schools. The local Lions District, headed by our own Mrs Kav Dev, will be starting the programme with a school in Letchworth this week.

Lions Clubs International, the world’s largest service organisation, has officially unveiled Lions Child Sight UK—a transformative initiative set to identify undiagnosed vision problems in children aged 4 to 11 throughout the British Isles.

This innovative programme continues Lions’ proud legacy in the field of eye health. Since Helen Keller’s 1925 challenge to become “knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness”, Lions Clubs have led numerous global efforts to prevent avoidable blindness -establishing eye banks, funding cataract surgeries, and launching the global SightFirst programme in 1990, which has helped restore sight to millions worldwide.

This initiative offers free, non-invasive vision screenings in schools and community settings. Backed by growing scientific evidence, this programme underscores the profound impact early detection of conditions such as amblyopia (“lazy eye”) can have on a child’s developmental, educational, and lifelong
health outcomes.

How it Works:

• Free, non-invasive screenings are conducted by trained and DBS-checked Lions volunteers using safe, photo- screening devices.
• The equipment instantly flags potential vision issues, allowing for early identification of conditions requiring further assessment. It is designed to assess the mechanics of the eye — something traditional school vision checks often miss,
• Parents or guardians are given information on the day of screening, highlighting if the child’s vision might need further investigation and sign postered to local NHS eye care services.

Why It Matters?
One in 13 children in the UK may have an undiagnosed eye condition. By catching these issues early, we can help ensure every child has the best chance to thrive in school and beyond.

The screening process is quick, non-invasive, and designed to assess the mechanics of the eye something traditional school vision checks often miss.

By catching these issues early, we can help ensure every child has the best chance to thrive in school and beyond. The screening process is quick, non-invasive, and designed to assess the mechanics of the eye.

National Project
The project is led by a team of dedicated Lions and supported by Lion members across the British Isles. Backed by local fundraising efforts by the members, and a grant from the Lions Clubs International Foundation, the project now has the resources to scale nationally.

For more information or to get involved, visit our websites:
https://lionschildsightuk.co.uk/ and https://lionsclubs.co.uk/