NEWPORT — At first, Antonio Flint pushed out his lower lip — the universal sign of displeasure.

        Antonio, a 6-year-old first-grader at Fourth Street Elementary School, was one of some 61 students who received free follow-up vision and hearing exams Monday. It's an attempt by the Newport Independent School District to help students in preschool through eighth grade whose parents have neither time nor money to take children to the doctor.

        Quality Care for Kids, a Frankfort company, performs the exams. The company bills insurance for its services, which means it doesn't cost the school or parents.

        The group's seven technicians and one ophthalmologist will be at Fourth Street again today. They go to A.D. Owens Elementary School on Wednesday, visit Mildred Dean Elementary and Newport Middle School later and stay in town until Nov. 1.

        “We go to areas where the children don't have the opportunity to see a doctor,” said Brenda Justice, Quality Care president. “We help the schools help the children. It's like bringing the office exam to the school.”

        Beth Lange, coordinator of the district's two school-based health centers (at Fourth Street and the middle school), said the service is especially needed at Fourth Street. She said that's because many parents cannot take off work for the office visits.

        Newport has been involved in the program three years.

        Two weeks ago, a local LensCrafters office conducted initial eye screenings. Quality Care's visit to Fourth Street was part a follow-up for some 360 children district-wide.

        Ms. Justice said technicians and doctors come from across the state. They meet at a given school district.

        At Fourth Street on Monday, children started with Deana Pursifull and her Retinomax machine to see whether there were any problems with the retina, which is in the back of the eye and is the place where images are transmitted through nerves to the brain.

        “They love this (machine) because it has a Christmas tree and a star,” said Ms. Pursifull, of Pineville.

        A test for color blindness was next. Then, Louisville ophthalmologist Dr. Sheldon Schiller used the phoropter, which has lenses of different powers and tells him what strength glasses a child might need later.

        Though Dr. Schiller said the Fourth Street children had “very normal” vision for their age, one 6-year-old had a deformed pupil, the result of an earlier stabbing in the left eye.

        “The pupil is distorted,” Dr. Schiller said. “It was the effort of the eye to heal the wound. It didn't affect the back of the eye. She sees well; fortunately, it's only a cosmetic problem.”

        After the eyes got a look, children received two hearing tests. Monday, children went to hearing technician Elizabeth Fuson, who's not as popular as Ms. Pursifull because her machines have wires and involve inserting an earplug.

        “They see all the cords,” said Ms. Fuson, of Pikeville. “Everybody's afraid they're going to get a shot.”

        Normally, a visit with Dr. Jordan Montez, a pediatrician from Shelbyville, is the final stop. But he was stuck in Puerto Rico Monday and is expected to be at Fourth Street today.

        If any serious problems are found, school officials contact the appropriate local professional to set up further appointments.

        Children received small smiley-face stickers after Monday's exams. Antonio's mood brightened when he received a yellow sticker on his left hand to go with the blue one on his right.

        “I'm happy,” Antonio said.

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