Preschool vision screening: summary of a task force report1
Section snippets
Outcome 1: lack of data on validity and effectiveness of current screening methodologies and programs
The panel expressed concern about the lack of scientific data addressing the validity of currently available screening methodologies, the effectiveness of the programs that are being used to implement these methodologies, and the adequacy of follow-up and treatment of children identified by screening programs. Members acknowledged an urgent need for large-scale, generalizable studies aimed at answering basic questions about the reliability and validity of commonly used screening methods, as
Outcome 2: interim screening recommendations
The panel concluded its work by confronting the question of what recommendations should be made for preschool screening at the present time, before the research outlined above has been completed. Although a variety of recommendations have been published by various organizations5, 24 (Table 1), the panel believe that the recommendations are inconsistent and, therefore, confusing. In particular, as shown in Table 1, different tests are recommended by different agencies with little guidance for
The next step
A critical and unique feature of the expert panel and audience convened for these discussions was the wide range of disciplines represented. Researchers studying early visual development, clinicians (pediatricians, pediatric ophthalmologists and optometrists), various professionals with direct experience in vision screening in the United States and other countries, biostatisticians, epidemiologists, and health care economists all participated. This wide representation was deliberately chosen to
MCHB/NEI task force on vision screening
E. Eugenie Hartmann, PhD, Chair
Steering committee members
Velma Dobson, PhD Louise Hainline, PhD Wendy Marsh-Tootle, OD, MS Graham E. Quinn, MD Mark S. Ruttum, MD
Task force members
Steven Archer, MD, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Sean Donahue, MD, PhD, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN
Gunilla Haegerstrom-Portnoy, OD, PhD, School of Optometry, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Richard Harrad, MD, FRCS, Ophthalmology, Bristol Eye Hospital, Bristol, United Kingdom
Emmett Keeler, PhD, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA
Alex R. Kemper, MD, MPH, Department of
Acknowledgements
Photos courtesy of Precision Vision, 944 First Street, La Salle, IL 61301, Phone: 815-223-2022, Fax: 815-223-2224, email: [email protected].
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Cited by (47)
The Neuro-Ophthalmic Examination
2018, Liu, Volpe, and Galetta's Neuro-Ophthalmology: Diagnosis and ManagementEfficacy of a vision-screening tool for birth to 3 years early intervention programs
2016, Journal of AAPOSCitation Excerpt :Of the patients included in the study, 85 of the 216 analyzed (39%) had documented visual pathway pathology. This result is not unexpected, because individuals with developmental disabilities tend to have a higher prevalence of vision related disorders.3 This further reinforces the need for an efficacious and cost-effective screening program for children with developmental disabilities in the birth to 3 years age group.
Validity of a layperson-administered Web-based vision screening test
2015, Journal of AAPOSThe possible association of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder with undiagnosed refractive errors
2013, Journal of AAPOSCitation Excerpt :Most of these studies, however, are problematic because they were not performed under cycloplegia, unlike the present study. In contrast to the myopic child, the hypermetropic child may go undiagnosed.24-31 Hypermetropic children, compared with emmetropic children, have good visual acuity for far objects but must make an extra accommodative effort to see near objects.
Validation and cost-effectiveness of a home-based screening system for amblyopia
2012, OphthalmologyCitation Excerpt :Although a variety of screening tests have aimed to identify vision problems at an earlier age, the testability rates generally were low in children younger than 3 years (for review),25 and this, combined with a lower participation rate and lack of cooperation with testing, means that the age of 3 years may be a better time for amblyopia screening. This time is still within the critical and sensitive period for vision development, and the older preschoolers tend to be more compliant with the prolonged and repetitive visual therapies for amblyopia, and thus achieve better outcomes.26 In summary, the home-based amblyopia screening system offers a simple, highly effective, and low-cost method of screening for amblyopia and amblyogenic risk factors.
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Previously published in Pediatrics, 106:1105–1116, 2000. Reprinted with permission.
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Current address for E. E. Hartmann, Nova Southeastern University, College of Optometry, Fort Lauderdale, FL.