Community & Business
29 October, 2025
Eye health a passion for local Lion
HEALTHY eyesight for all Tablelands school children is a passion for Ruth Seamark, facilitator of the Lions Eye Health Program (LEHP) which was recently introduced by the Atherton club.
Free eye screening has been made available to all schools in the Tablelands catchment area, as well as homeschooled children, through the LEHP.
Lions Club members and volunteers from across the Tablelands have been training in recent months to become qualified screeners. All members hold Blue Cards, allowing them to be able to test children.
Mrs Seamark explained there were four steps to a child’s eye screening – a visual chart, colour deficiency, and depth perception test, as well as a specialised camera designed to take photos of the eye to detect conditions needing referral.
A number of children in schools and kindies across the Tablelands have already undergone testing and the Atherton Lions are gearing up to roll out the LEHP to all local areas.
According to Mrs Seamark, early feedback has been positive, with praise from one mother whose kindergarten-aged child had been screened and referred.
“The mother was amazed that an anomaly had been detected in a child so young,” she said.
“Lions offer the LEHP internationally in recognition of how important clear vision is to a good education.”
Mrs Seamark and her husband Geoff, who is the president of the Atherton Lions Club, have been spreading the LEHP word at the Atherton IGA and at the local Atherton Lions Markets.
They anticipate a big 2026 as more people become aware of the program which will be available in the Mt Garnet, Atherton, Herberton, Malanda, Yungaburra and Mareeba areas.
For further information, contact Mrs Seamark via email at grse@bibpond.com or by calling 0438 743 068.
