Vision Screening for Children 36 to <72 Months: Recommended Practices
The purpose of this paper is to provide recommendations for screening children aged 36 to <72 months for disorders of the eyes and visual system, primarily amblyopia, strabismus, significant refractive error, and risk factors associated with these disorders. The recommendations were developed by the National Expert Panel (NEP) to the National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health, sponsored by Prevent Blindness, and funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the Health Resources and Services Administration, United States Department of Health and Human Services.
All children aged 36 to <72 months should be screened annually (best practice) or at least once (acceptable minimum standard) during the interval between their third and sixth birthdays. The vision screening may be performed in educational-, community-, or public health-based settings or in the medical home using recommended methods that are appropriate for the screening venue. The tests recommended herein are intended for vision screenings conducted by lay screeners, school nurses, and other screening personnel in public health settings, primary health care practices, or the child’s medical home to identify children in need of further evaluation by an eye care professional.
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Recommendation Summaries
- Children Who Should By-Pass Vision Screening
- Vision Screener Training and Certification
- Recognition Visual Acuity (Optotype-based) Screening
- Occlusion Techniques
- Instrument-Based Vision Screening
- Stereoacuity Testing
- Untestable Children and Rescreening Guidelines
- Components of a Comprehensive Vision Screening System
- Recommended Vision Screening Tools and Tests
- Guidance for optotype-based vision screening
Suggested Citation and Corresponding Author
Cotter SA, Cyert LA, Miller JM, Quinn GE for the National Expert Panel to the National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health. Vision Screening for Children 36 to <72 Months: Recommended Practices. Optom Vis Sci 2015;92(1): 6–16.
Corresponding Author:
Susan Cotter, OD, MS, FAAO
Marshall B Ketchum University
2575 Yorba Linda Boulevard
Fullerton, CA 92831
e-mail: [email protected]
References
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