RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — While the Thanksgiving holiday may be over, Conexus is continuing the spirit of giving by helping to improve children’s vision.
The entire process of eyesight screening takes only 10 seconds with the technology Conexus uses. The student will then immediately know whether they can go back to class or whether they need a comprehensive eye exam.
According to Conexus, the goal is to keep students in class as much as possible and avoid interruptions to learning.
“We have been able to cut lost instructional time in half by partnering with Conexus,” said Renesha Parks, the chief wellness officer for Richmond Public Schools. “Historically, our school nurses would typically do the screening. If a school nurse had to do the screenings, a student would come in and spend 10 to 15 minutes out of the classroom.”
Janet Cook, the school nurse at Frances W. McClenney Elementary School, said she is often the first person to see signs that a student might be having trouble with their eyesight.
“One of the symptoms of not being able to see is headaches,” Cook said. “So there are children that come in with headaches as well as stomach aches and other forms of illness — even sometimes anxiety and frustration — related to not being able to see.”
Cook says she has been thankful for her school’s partnership with Conexus.
“It’s like a gift of sight,” she said. “I mean, they are so excited and just to see their eyes glow and brighten… it is wonderful.”
