Presently there exists little consistency among stakeholders in children’s vision health for frequency, referral criteria, or follow-up to influence screening referral outcomes. The absence of standards for the surveillance of children’s eye health in the U.S. further contributes to the public health challenges. The development of a more uniform approach to children’s vision health systems is critically needed.
The development of an evidence-based and widely adopted system for children’s vision and eye health is critically needed at the state and national level. Prevent Blindness recognizes that the most successful system is one that:
- Identifies how to actively engage key stakeholders and motivate both families and professionals regarding their roles in the vision health continuum
- Seeks coordination among administrative mechanisms and processes across systems of care
- Fosters a common knowledge base and shared definitions that strengthen cross- system linkages
- Uses common agreed-upon screening tools, referral protocols, and related policies
