Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute Foundation (RMLEIF)

In June 2024, the Loveland Lions presented club member Sherlyn Sampson with a Paul Barbour Award from the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute Foundation to recognize her years of outstanding service to her Club and her Lions District. The Barbour award, which is pictured and described here, commemorates the late Lion PCC Paul Barbour, who led the Foundation in earlier years. 

This photo shows RMLEIF President John Harper (standing left) and Secretary Dave Orr (standing right) presenting the award to Sherlyn.

The Loveland Lions Club has a long and generous history of supporting the Foundation.

The Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute Foundation pays for refraction and magnification evaluations at the Institute for individuals with low vision who can't pay for the evaluations themselves. The refraction and magnification portion of a low vision exam is not typically covered by Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance. 

As described in the online article Removing Barriers from Low Vision Rehabilitation, since 2007 the Foundation has paid for more than 300 of these exams, which are performed by the staff of UCHealth's Low Vision Program. The exams help patients make the most of their visual capabilities. 

The term "low vision" refers to a permanent visual impairment that cannot be fully corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses, or surgery, and significantly impacts daily activities like reading, driving, and recognizing faces.  Individuals with low vision still have some usable vision. 

The online article Driving Dreams Come True at Age 52 tells one of the Low Vision Program's success stories. The assistive device worn by the patient in this photo is a "bi‑optic," a miniature telescope/magnifier mounted above the patient's eyeglasses. The device can focus near and far by twisting the black disk in the center. The majority of the time the patient looks through her eyeglasses but when she needs to see detail, such as the price on an item to be purchased, she briefly tilts her head down to see a magnified image through the bi-optic. In a similar manner the patient can see detail on more distant objects using the telescope in a bi-optic. 

RMLEIF pays for refraction and magnification evaluations at the Institute for patients who can't pay themselves. The "refraction" part of the evaluation determines the best eyeglasses for the patient. The "magnification" helps determine the best magnifying and/or telescoping device, based on the patient's needs and visual capabilities.  For more information on bi‑optics, see this video or these videos. 

In July 2023, the Rocky Mountain Lions Eye Institute Foundation honored Past Lions International Director John Harper of Wyoming for his more than 30 years of service to the Foundation. John is currently President of the Foundation. In past years he has served as Trustee and Vice President. Past International Director Ken Schwols of Colorado, a RMLEIF Trustee, pinned on John's progressive Melvin Jones award in front of the Lions painting in the lobby of the Eye Institute building.