Frequently Asked Questions

  • The Lions Eye Health Program does not offer this service, however you can send used glasses to the Lions Recycle For Sight Program. The details can be found here: https://lionsclubs.org.au/our-impact/recycle-for-sight-australia/

    You may also be able to contact your local Lions Club as many of them run this program and may be able to collect from you. 

    Find a Club near you: https://lionsclubs.org.au/find-a-lions-club/

  • We have vision screening teams all over Australia who can come to early learning facilities, schools, social or community groups to conduct vision screenings for children aged 3-18 years. To find out if there is a team near you, please email enquiries@lehp.org.au

  • No - our vision screening program is only appropriate for children aged 3 - 18 years. It only helps to identify potential vision issues which are common in this age group.

    Adult vision issues are more varied and complex and usually require more investigation than our screening program can provide.

    LEHP and Optometry Australia recommend all adults have a comprehensive eye examination with an optometrist at least every 2 years. 90% of vision loss in adults in preventable. Regular eye examinations can save your sight.

    For more information on common vision issues in adults that can be treated or prevented, please see https://lehp.org.au/avoidable-vision-loss-in-adults

  • We believe our Children’s Vision Screening Program is the most comprehensive screening program available in the country. We use state of the art equipment to screen visual acuity (how sharp vision is a longer distances), colour perception, depth perception and a range of common vision issues such as Myopia (nearsightedness), Hyperopia (farsightedness), Astigmatism (blurred vision), Anisometropia (unequal refractive error), Binocular Vision (eye misalignment) and Anisocoria (unequal pupil size).

    We do not diagnose any vision issues. If a potential problem is identified, we will recommend a follow up with an optometrist. 

    On average, it takes around 8 minutes per child, and we can screen up to 6 children at a time. This can vary based on volunteer availability and the age of the child. 

    For more details, please visit https://lehp.org.au/childrens-vision-screening-program

  • Thanks to our dedicated volunteers along with financial support from Lions Clubs, we offer our vision screening service free of charge. There is no cost to the organisation or the parents/caregivers.

  • LEHP will provide Parent/Guardian Consent Forms and brochures (if required) for the host organisation to distribute to families. Consent Forms will need to be returned and collated before the screening date and hard copies provided to the screening team on the day.

    We will need an appropriate room to conduct the screening session in. The screening area should ideally have:

     • sufficient space to set up a reception desk, 4 screening stations and a waiting area for children
    • preferably controllable light sources (dimmers, blinds etc) to allow us to create the correct conditions for our screening equipment
    • chairs and tables
    • surfaces to hang LEA Charts for visual acuity
    • unrestricted visibility of all adults conducting screening (i.e. no secluded areas)

    Where possible, the host facility is requested to assign a member of staff or approved volunteer to assist with the coordination of participants on the day of the screening.

    At the end of the screening session, the hosting organisation may be required to print colour copies of any reports from the Vision Screening Device (Camera), to be included in the Individual Screening Reports.

    All paperwork containing personal information will be left with the Facility to be destroyed or filed appropriately. We recommend keeping copies of results on file for future reference as LEHP does not retain any detailed information for privacy reasons.

  • All of our volunteer LEHP Vision Screeners will hold a current Working With Children check (or State equivalent) and are required to complete a three-stage training program before receiving their accreditation. As our service is a screening only and we don’t diagnose any vision issues, no medical knowledge is required.

    The Lions Eye Health Program is endorsed by our technical partner, Optometry Australia, who approve all of our training materials, provide advice and expert guidance to ensure our children’s vision screening processes and procedures are best practice.

  • For privacy reasons, we do not keep any documents containing personal details, including detailed screening results. For this reason, we are unable to provide duplicates of individual results. If you have misplaced your child’s Individual Screening Report, please contact their school to see if a copy was kept on file. If you have any concerns regarding your child’s vision, please book an appointment with an optometrist for a full eye examination. 

    Find an optometrist near you: https://www.optometry.org.au/find-an-optometrist/

  • Our program runs on the power of volunteers! All of our vision screeners work on a volunteer basis.

    In order to participate you will need to complete all three stages of training and hold a valid Working With Children check or State Equivalent. You do not have to be a Lions member in order to volunteer.

  • LEHP provides a three-step training program which must be completed to become a qualified vision screener. You do not need any medical knowledge or skills in order to participate and you do not need to be a member of a Lions Club, but you must hold a valid Working With Children check or State Equivalent. 

    The three training components are: 

    1.    Complete an online training course

    2.    Attend a Hands On Workshop Training Session

    3.    Observe or participate under supervision at a Practical Screening Session

     For more details and to access the online training course please see https://lehp.org.au/cvsp-training-courses

  • Yes - all volunteers, including medical professionals, must complete the same three stages of LEHP training to become a qualified LEHP Vision Screener. 

    As we don’t diagnose or treat any vision issues, our training program does not teach any medical knowledge (aside from a very basic explanation of the conditions we screen for). Our program is endorsed by Optometry Australia and the recorded procedures, methods and policies must be adhered to at all times.

    As well as the practical training on how to conduct each screening station, our training ensures Screeners understand how our program operates, the importance of only using our prescribed methods to conduct the screening activities, what measures must be taken to ensure privacy, confidentiality and child safety and how to respond to any comments or questions appropriately, without diagnosing.

  • All donations are gratefully received and allow us to continue delivering our message, providing resources and conducting free children's vision screening sessions across the country.

    You can make a donation online, through an electronic bank transfer or by cheque.   

    Donate online -  https://lehp.org.au/donate

    Electronic Bank Transfer - Account Name: Lions Eye Health Program
    BSB: 633 000      Account Number: 108999475
    *For Lions Club donations please use your Club name or number as the reference *

    Cheque Payments - Please make cheques payable to Lions Eye Health Program – Australia and mail to LEHP Treasurer, PDG Bill Duncanson, PO Box 86, Camperdown VIC 3260

    For Participating Club donations, which gives you access to free resources, training materials and vision screening equipment, please see https://lehp.org.au/donations-participating-clubs

  • Before a screening equipment purchase will be approved, you must be a current LEHP Participating Club and have a fully trained screening team, including a Facilitator to take receipt of the equipment. 

    Screening kits are only available for purchase by Lions and are not available to members of the public.

    Thanks to generous support from LCIF, LEHP has provided a children’s vision screening kit in every District in Australia. Purchasing your own equipment is not a requirement to participate in the Children’s Vision Screening Program. However, if your Club, District or Zone is committed to the program and would like to purchase their own screening kit, you can make an application to purchase. 

    Screening kits are subject to availability and allocated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. 

    For current pricing, contents guide, terms and conditions and application form, please see https://lehp.org.au/screening-equipment

  • Participating Club donations and general donations do not accrue awards credits. 

    Payments for LEHP awards are made upon application, unless arrangements have been made with the National Treasurer. More details on LEHP awards and an application form can be found at https://lehp.org.au/lehp-awards

  • For anything related to training please contact the National Training Manager: training@lehp.org.au

    For anything related to finance, including donations or Participating Club payments, please contact the National Treasurer: lehptreasurer@gmail.com

    For general enquiries, including vision screening booking enquiries, please contact the National Office: enquiries@lehp.org.au