Abstract
Purpose :
To determine the percentage of children who received an eye exam as a result of case management after failing a vision screening in AL.
Methods :
Children in grades K-2-4 (n=133,477) in AL elementary schools during the 2022-23 school year received a state funded vision screening. Those failing were referred for case management to Sight Savers America (SSA). Contact information was not provided for all children per individual school preference and some had invalid information. Using a multi-step protocol, case specialists used motivational health coaching to encourage and facilitate parents having their child evaluated by a local eye care provider using their existing insurance. SSA also arranged for donated exams or funded exams and glasses when indicated for uninsured and financially needy children. De-identified information was analyzed to determine the percentage of children who had comprehensive eye exams and whether or not glasses were prescribed.
Results :
16,572 (12.4%) children failed their vision screening. 11,310 (68%) were referred to SSA for case management with valid contact information and of those 8,067 parents were reached. Case managers were able to obtain results from 6,025 children’s exams representing 71% of all children whose parents were reached. The remaining 3,243 children’s parents received text messages, letters via mail and when possible voice mails. This served as a reminder about the failed screening and emphasized the importance of having an eye exam, however parents did not respond to our inquiry, so numbers obtaining an exam cannot be known. The percentage of children having an exam is likely even higher, as at least some of the parents not responding to our case managers may have taken their child for an exam. Overall, 39.6% of parents preferred to handle scheduling on their own, while 60.1% were assisted by the case manager. Data by grade can be found in the table. Over 77% of children failing the screening for whom results were available were prescribed glasses.
Conclusions :
Follow up rates after failed school vision screenings are known to be low. Individualized case management after screening failure significantly enhances adherence to follow-up, can be done on a statewide basis and establishes an eye care home for the child.
This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.