The National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health (NCCVEH) at Prevent Blindness is collaborating with our national partners, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as our expert Advisory Committee, to develop considerations for implementation of vision and eye health program administration during the COVID-19 pandemic. These considerations will address screening and referral protocols, based on evidence-based practices, during COVID-19 for use by community-based programs, home visiting programs, early childhood care and education, and schools. The NCCVEH will also address vision screening and early identification of possible vision disorders in a variety of scenarios, including in-person and virtual instruction.
While our considerations for vision and eye health programs will be national and broad in scope, be aware of the need to prioritize any safety guidance and/or regulations enacted by the Centers for Disease Control, your state, communities, local health departments, and program-specific settings (e.g., school district). We will update this page when our guidance is completed (anticipated date July 30, 2020). You will find this information on the NCCVEH website at https://nationalcenter.preventblindness.org/.
A vision screening program based in peer-reviewed literature and expert guidance is a critical part of a coordinated public health approach. It is important to abide these evidence-based practices while considering any guidelines in your state. Vision and eye health programs should continue to coordinate with health professionals who also perform vision screening in the health care settings (community health centers, school-based clinics, pediatricians, family practice, nurse practitioners, physician’s assistants, etc.) to ensure children are receiving essential health screenings.
We plan to issue an FAQ document in addition to our considerations document, and we encourage you to contact us with your questions and concerns to help ensure we address issues for which you require guidance. Please contact us at [email protected]