Good Vision Is Tied to Academic Readiness

Washington, DC------Back-to-school planning is about ensuring that your child is returning to school prepared to learn.  In addition to the new pencils and notebooks, make sure a vision screening is on your back-to-school checklist, because good vision is the first step to your child’s academic success.

 “We know that children who see well are better prepared to learn,” said Michael X. Repka, MD, secretary for federal affairs at the American Academy of Ophthalmology and professor of ophthalmology and pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University. “The eyes are directly connected to the brain, so if they are not functioning properly, it can be more difficult for a child to absorb information in the classroom. Most common eye disorders do not have warning signs and may lead to blindness in one or both eyes if left untreated. Early detection is the key to a successful outcome.”

In fact, a new study debuted earlier this summer at the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Annual Meeting that reaffirmed that periodic vision screenings are helpful in identifying children who need to be referred to an ophthalmologist for follow-up care and treatment.

Congress is learning about the importance of vision screenings in helping children to learn as it considers “The Vision Care for Kids Act of 2007” (S. 1175 and H.R. 507).  This bill complements current state efforts by establishing federal grants to the states for comprehensive eye examinations and treatment for children who have first been identified through a vision screening as needing additional care.  Legislation has been passed in several states over the past year requiring vision screenings for all children entering kindergarten. 

The National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health, estimates that only one in three preschoolers receives a vision screening.  NEI also says that an estimated 300,000 to 750,000 children aged 3 to 5 have amblyopia (lazy eye), and 450,000 to 600,000 have strabismus (eye misalignment).  An estimated 1.5 million to 2.3 million children have a significant refractive error (poor vision that can be corrected with glasses or contact lenses). 

The American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Preferred Practice Patterns set the standard of care in the U.S. regarding the ages children should be screened and the methods for pediatric eye evaluations. The Academy recommends children should have their vision screened as follows:

• Newborn to 3 months
• 3 to 6 months
• 6 to 12 months
• 3 years
• 5 years
• Every 1 to 2 years after age 5 until age 18

In addition, the Academy specifies that if a child has one or more of the following, he or she should seek a comprehensive pediatric medical eye evaluation by an ophthalmologist:

• Abnormalities detected during a screening
• Signs or symptoms of eye problems by history or observations by family members
• Risk factors (general health problems, systemic diseases, or use of medications that are known to be associated with eye disease and visual abnormalities)
• A family history of conditions that cause or are associated with eye or vision problems

Vision screenings can be performed by pediatricians, family physicians, nurses, and lay screeners.  Parents should ask their child’s healthcare provider to include a vision screening as part of the child’s annual well-child exam. Many public school systems also provide vision screenings for students. Parents who do not have access to screenings for their children can contact their local health department for support.

“Screenings are safe, affordable, effective and smart; they catch problems this year that weren’t there last year,” said Christie Morse, MD, president of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. “Recent clinical studies on children aged 3 to 13 with amblyopia show that almost every child will improve through treatment.”