Abstract
Purpose :
Vision in the pediatric population is essential for learning in the classroom setting. The Child Vision Collaborative (CVC) was formed to screen, diagnose and treat the vision problems of underserved children in Omaha, Nebraska. The aim of this pilot vision screening was to identify the best practices for screening a large population of students.
Methods :
Vision screening was performed in elementary, middle, and high schools in the Omaha area during March to May of 2016. Screening consisted of the following: Spot Vision Screener, Snellen eye chart visual acuity, near vision testing, stereopsis testing, and color vision. If the child failed the vision screening, comprehensive clinical exams by optometrists and ophthalmologists were performed at no charge. Glasses were provided if needed. Initial screening did not require consent per state law, but comprehensive evaluation required parent consent.
Results :
4984 students were screened; with 1669 (33.4%) failed and were referred for comprehensive evaluation. 29.95% (n=500) of students referred received comprehensive eye examinations and 340 (68% of those examined) students gave consent to be a part of study. The following identified referred students: vision screener 68.24% (n=232), visual acuity 61.47% (n=209), and stereopsis 12.05% (n=41). 79% (n=271) of students with initial failed exam received glasses. 73.06% (n=198) of students that received glasses were identified by vision screener, versus 61.62% (n=167) by visual acuity.
Conclusions :
Overall, vision screener detected a greater majority of students versus traditional visual acuity testing (68.24% vs. 61.47%). In addition, vision screener required less amount of time (1 minute vs. 7 minutes) per patient to screen, making it a more efficient method to screen a larger population. Stereopsis and color vision identified a relatively low number of students with vision problems. Goal of CVC is to screen 50,000 kids per year in most efficient manner, with vision screener being implemented in future screenings. Obtaining parental consent was a major obstacle of the study, as 70% of students recommended for comprehensive exam were not seen due to lack of parental consent. Further studies will be needed to determine the reason for this obstacle and appropriate measures will be taken to address these issues.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2017 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Baltimore, MD, May 7-11, 2017.