Early screening for vision problems recommended

AORN Journal, August, 2004

The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends that children who are younger than five years of age be screened in a primary care setting for vision problems, including lazy eye (ie, amblyopia), crossed eyes (ie, strabismus), and near- and far-sightedness, according to a May 25, 2004, news release from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Visual impairment is a common condition that affects 5% to 10% of preschool-age children. Between 1% and 4% of preschool-age children have amblyopia, and an estimated 5% to 7% have refractive errors. Left untreated, amblyopia may lead to visual impairment and may harm a child's ability to learn or affect his or her performance in school.

A new method of photoscreening, which uses specially equipped cameras to capture a picture of the pupil, has the potential to increase vision screening rates among children because the testing requires minimal cooperation from the child and can be used with very young children. Children found to have a vision condition should be referred to a vision specialist for further testing.

Task Force Recommends Vision Screening for Children Younger than 5 Years Old (news release, Rockville, Md: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, May 25, 2004) http://www.ahrq.gov/news/press/pr2004 /tfchvispr.htm (accessed 23 June 2004).