Media Alert
WHAT
Fourth annual “See to Read Summerfest” family-friendly event with free vision screenings, free rides and more for children ages 3 to 7.
WHEN
Saturday, June 20, from 10 a.m. to noon
Short speaking program at 11 a.m. with City of Portland Commissioner Nick Fish and Oregon Health & Science University Casey Eye Institute Director David J. Wilson, M.D.
WHERE
Oaks Park (Dance Pavilion), 7805 S.E. Oaks Park Way, Portland
DETAILS
Children ages 3 to 7 and their families are invited to participate in the Elks Children’s Eye Clinic “See to Read Summerfest” event, which includes free vision screenings, in addition to amusement park ride wristbands for kids who are screened, hotdogs for the first 250 participants, carnival games, balloons, clowns and face painting.
The Oregon Legislature passed a law in 2014 mandating that all children entering kindergarten show proof of vision screening. Following are several reasons to get children screened early on:
- As many as 15 percent of all preschoolers have an undetected vision problem that requires treatment with glasses.
- The best time to treat children for eye disease is between ages 3 and 5.
- Some eye diseases, such as amblyopia (lazy eye), can be reversed if detected before age 5.
Trained vision screeners from the Oregon Elks and the Oregon Lions will perform the screenings. The event is a part of a statewide See to Read initiative, which provides vision screenings throughout Oregon and aims to detect vision problems that can only be treated successfully if caught before age 7.
The event is hosted by the Elks Children’s Eye Clinic at OHSU Casey Eye Institute, in collaboration with the Oregon State Elks Association, Oregon Library Association and the Oregon Lions.