Small Steps for Big Vision: An Eye Health Information Tool Kit for Parents and Caregivers

Small Steps for Big Vision logo

The National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness partnered with the National Head Start Association to create an online resource – Small Steps for Big Vision: An Eye Health Information Tool Kit for Parents and Caregivers – to provide parents and caregivers with the information, suggested actions, and assistance they need to be empowered partners in their children’s vision and eye health, and to care for their own vision and eye health.

The tool kit was designed for use by Head Start and Early Head Start programs, as well as any early childhood education and care program.

Small Steps for Big Vision is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $300,000 with 5% financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.

Parents Need to Know…

A quick guide to parent education resources you won’t want to miss

Introduccion

Learn about what’s in the tool kit

Vision Meeting

Reunion de Vision

Learn how to lead a vision meeting for parents

Parent Resources

Recursos para padres

Learn about good vision for your child

Parent Comments About Vision Meeting

Comentarios de los padres sobre la reunión de visión

What parents learned in the meeting

 

Introduccion

Introduction to Small Steps for Big Vision

The information in this tool kit is designed to help reduce the gap between vision screening referrals for eye examinations and follow-up to eye care. It is our hope that Early Head Start, Head Start, child care, early care and education programs, and parent education and advocacy organizations will use this tool kit to impact the vision of children and their families across the United States for years to come.

Resources to Download:

Introduction to “Small Steps for Big Vision: An Eye Health Information Tool Kit for Parents and Caregivers”

Introducción a “Pequeños pasos para una gran visión: Un kit de herramientas de información sobre salud ocular para padres y cuidadores”

Recording of Small Steps for Big Vision Webinar, October 22, 2020

Vision Meeting Reunion de Vision

Learn how to lead a vision meeting for parents

Much of the vision screening referral follow-up literature talks about parent education as a way to help reduce the gap between a vision screening referral and a follow-up eye exam.

This section offers materials for you to hold a training session with your parents and caregivers to provide parent education.

Some of you call your training sessions with parents and caregivers “meetings” or “socials” or other names. Whatever the name you use, this section of Small Steps includes materials to hold a training session about common vision disorders in young children; the importance of vision screening; and the importance of arranging and attending an eye examination, following the eye doctor’s treatment plan, and participating in ongoing care.

The scripted PowerPoint also includes information about the importance of parents and caregivers in taking care of their own vision and eye health needs. Visit the section on Parent/Caregiver Comments About the Vision Meeting/Social to see comments and view a video from a parent who attended a vision meeting/social.

This section of Small Steps for Big Vision: An Eye Health Information Tool Kit for Parents and Caregivers includes the following:

  • A training manual in both English and Spanish describing how to arrange and conduct a training session for parents and caregivers;
  • Invitation templates to share with parents and caregivers;
  • Sign-in sheets for your records;
  • Handouts to distribute at the session in both English and Spanish, including an evaluation form that we hope you will scan and return to us to help us continually revise this tool kit to meet your needs and the needs of the families you serve;
  • Experiential activities to use during the PowerPoint presentation to give parents and caregivers the sense of how their children may see with a vision disorder; and
  • A scripted PowerPoint presentation, that includes embedded videos and pronunciations of vision disorders, such as amblyopia, strabismus, hyperopia, myopia, and anisometropia.

If you have questions, contact us at [email protected] with Small Steps and part of your question in the subject line.


Vision Meeting Topics


PowerPoint

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SHOWING POWERPOINT AT VISION MEETING/SOCIAL

To download to your laptop or PC and use either the English, Spanish, or a combination of English and Spanish PowerPoint slides:

Vision Meeting Presentations (Click Here to Download from Google Docs)

-Right click on the PowerPoint version you want to use and select “Download”

-Click on “Open”

-Go to “Slide Show” view to begin animated PowerPoint slides.

(You can use the PDF PowerPoint version, which has slides and talking points, when presenting.)

Vision Meeting English Slides and Notes

Vision Meeting Spanish Slides and Notes

Vision Meeting Combined Spanish and English Presentations with Notes

Parent Resources Recursos para padres

Learn about good vision for your child

Up to 1 in 17 young children, 1 in 5 Head Start children, and an estimated 1 in 4 or 5 school-aged children have a vision disorder that can lead to permanent vision disorders if not found and treated early.

Too often children do not receive an eye examination after a vision screening referral because parents and caregivers do not know their children have a vision disorder. And, many parents and caregivers do not know about the importance of good vision for their children’s development and learning.

We created this online tool kit the National Head Start Association to give you lots of information about the importance of taking care of your child’s vision . . . and for taking care of your own vision.

It is our hope that if you have more information about vision, and the importance of good vision, you will help make sure your child receives an eye examination by an eye care doctor, treatment, such as prescription glasses, and ongoing care.

Small Steps for Big Vision includes many resources about vision screening, what will happen at the eye examination, where to find eye doctors, and how to pay for the eye exam and glasses, if needed. Resources also include frequently asked questions about vision and eye health.

This section of Small Steps for Big Vision also includes resources for health managers, school nurses, and others to run a special meeting or social that includes a short PowerPoint presentation and fun games.

Signs of Vision Problems Signos de problemas oculares

Signs & Symptoms of Vision Problems

This section of Small Steps for Big Vision gives you information about the signs and symptoms of vision problems.

You will see:

  • A game-like poster of 18 vision development milestones from birth to the 1st birthday;
  • A guide to vision health for your newborn, infant, and toddler;
  • Common early childhood vision disorders, including links to videos, webcasts, and a handout;
  • A handout of 8 questions from parents about myopia (nearsightedness);
  • Tips for moving from vision screening to the eye examination by an eye doctor if your child does not pass vision screening;
  • A document with signs of possible vision problems in children;
  • A glossary listing common vision and eye words and definitions;
  • A checklist you can complete about signs and possible vision problems in children, with information about making an appointment with an eye doctor for an eye examination, if needed; and
  • Risk factors for vision problems in children.

Some classroom behaviors are related to poor vision. See the information about vision and classroom behaviors. Some research shows an association between poor vision and learning. See the information about vision and learning.

Resources

Vision Screening, Eye Exam, Treatment La evaluación de la vista – El examen ocular - Tratamiento

Vision Screenings, Eye Examinations, and Treatment

When your child does not pass vision screening in the Head Start or school classroom, or in other community settings, you will receive a referral for an eye examination from an eye doctor. This page gives you information about the importance of following up with an eye doctor when your child does not pass vision screening.

To understand the steps along the pathway between vision screening and the eye exam, look at “10 Small Steps From Vision Screening to the Eye Exam and Possible Treatment for Big Vision . . . The Best Vision Possible for Your Child.”

You will see information about:

  • The difference between vision screening and an eye examination;
  • The importance of vision screening;
  • How vision screening is key to your child’s healthy development;
  • The importance of an eye examination when your child does not pass vision screening;
  • How to find an eye doctor in or near where you live;
  • The Affordable Care Act and Your Child’s Eyes;
  • How to find assistance with paying for the eye examination, and prescription eyeglasses if necessary; and
  • What happens at a pediatric eye examination.

Some classroom behaviors are related to poor vision. See the information about vision and classroom behaviors.

Some research shows an association between poor vision and learning. See the information about vision and learning.

This page also includes information about helping your child wear new prescription eyeglasses.

You will also see a link to a table of vision screening tools vision screeners in your Head Start program, your school, or other community setting should use to screen your child’s vision. If you want to advocate for appropriate vision screening for your child and other children in your child’s classroom or community setting, show the table to the folks in that program who screen vision or the folks in chart of those classrooms and community settings.

Glasses for Your ChildAnteojos recetados para su hijo

Glasses for Your Child

When you receive a referral from a vision screening and you take your child for an eye examination, your child may receive new prescription eyeglasses as part of the eye doctor’s treatment plan.

Or, your child may already wear prescription glasses.

This section of Small Steps for Big Vision includes information about:

  • The importance of wearing prescription eyeglasses
  • How to handle new prescription eyeglasses
  • Questions to ask your child about the new eyeglasses
  • Tips for adjusting to the new eyeglasses
  • Tips for taking care of the new eyeglasses
  • FAQs about the new eyeglasses, including links to assistance with getting the glasses
  • A story book about eyeglasses
  • 15 books about children wearing eyeglasses

Resources to Download

Parents: Your Vision Padres: Tu Visión

Taking Care of Your Own Vision and Eye Health (pdf)
Padres, tutores, cuidadores: Cuidarse su propia visión (pdf)

Take Care of Your Own Vision

Find links to many topics on this page to help you care for your own vision and eye health.


Topics

Resources to Download

Videos and Webcasts Vídeos y webcasts

Videos and Webcasts

Here you will find videos and webcasts about early childhood vision conditions, how the eyes work, and what to expect at a pediatric eye exam.

Development milestones for babies up to 1 year of age: https://youtu.be/9b-OQg0M-7U

For more information on the eyes and how we see, visit “The Eye & How We See” at Prevent Blindness. https://preventblindness.org/eye-how-we-see/  A video from the National Eye Institute, called “The Visual System: How Your Eyes Work” is available at: https://youtu.be/i3_n3Ibfn1c

Early Childhood Vision Conditions:

Amblyopia:

Strabismus:

How the Eyes Work:

What to Expect at a Pediatric Eye Examination:

Aquí encontrará videos y transmisiones por Internet sobre las afecciones de la vista en la primera infancia, cómo funcionan los ojos y qué esperar en un examen de la vista pediátrico.

Para obtener más información sobre los ojos y cómo vemos, visite “The Eye & How We See” a Prevent Blindness. https://preventblindness.org/eye-how-we-see/  Un video del National Eye Institute, llamado “The Visual System: How Your Eyes Work” esta disponible a: https://youtu.be/i3_n3Ibfn1c

Condiciones de la vista en la primera infancia:

Ambliopía:

Estrabismo:

Cómo funcionan los ojos:

Qué esperar en un examen ocular pediátrico:

Parent Comments About Vision Meeting Comentarios de los padres sobre la reunión de visión

Parent Comments about Vision Meeting

Parents/guardians/caregivers attended vision meetings or vision socials provided by the 5 Head Start pilot sites to help create the Small Steps for Big Vision: An Eye Health Information Tool Kit for Parents and Caregivers. Their evaluations played a huge role in creating and revision this tool kit for parents, guardians, and caregivers across the United States and in other countries.

This section includes comments from a few of those parents.

Thank you for letting us know how you feel the materials in the tool kit are helpful for you.

Please complete this very short survey

 

Thank you Delta Gamma Foundation for sponsoring the distribution of printed copies of materials from the tool kit!

Published in October, 2020

If you are adapting information from the Small Steps for Big Vision tool kit, please use the following language and citation:

  • Text: Adapted from “Small Steps for Big Vision: An Eye Health Information Tool Kit for Parents and Caregivers”.
  • Citation: National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness (2020). Small steps for big vision: An eye health information tool kit for parents and caregivers. https://nationalcenter.preventblindness.org/small-steps-for-big-vision/