Prevent Blindness Offers Free Children’s Vision Screening for Your Office

Includes Training, Certification, Equipment

(August 8, 2019) Prevent Blindness, Ohio Affiliate (PBO) is a recipient of funds from the Save Our Sight Fund to conduct children’s vision screening trainings, provide equipment to attendees, and award a national certification upon successful completion of the training. PBO would like to work with physician offices (as well as school nurses, health care and allied healthcare professionals, child care/day care providers, and public health professionals) to schedule children’s vision screening trainings.

The trainings and equipment comply with the new requirements and guidelines recently published by the Ohio Department of Health regarding preschool vision screening. These new guidelines took effect beginning in the 2018-2019 school year. Certain pieces of equipment, such as the 10 ft. LEA visual acuity test (for preschoolers) and the RDE stereopsis test will be phased out in the 2020-2021 school year.

Early detection and treatment of vision disorders are important to maximize a child’s visual potential. The longer eye conditions are left untreated, the more likely they are to worsen, affecting learning ability, athletic performance and self-esteem. Nationally, only 38 percent of three year olds are screened for vision problems.

"Vision problems affect one in four school-age children and one in twenty preschoolers, which is why regular vision care for children is so important," said PBO President/CEO Sherill Williams.

The training includes:

• Instruction on how to perform stereopsis and distance visual acuity screening utilizing the 5 ft. Lea visual acuity test and the PASS2 stereopsis test;
• Instruction on how screen for color vision using the ColorCheck color vision test;
• Detailed information on childhood eye diseases and disorders;
• Vision Screening Requirements and Guidelines for Preschool and School-Aged Children: published by the Ohio Department of Health; and
• Sample referral and follow up resources and access to no cost eye exams and eyeglasses for qualifying families.

Participants are eligible to receive a 3-year certification from Prevent Blindness and free vision screening equipment (a $700 value) that includes:

• VIP single, crowded Lea Symbols Visual Acuity screening test at 5 feet for screening visual acuity,
• Preschool Assessment of Stereopsis (PASS2) for screening stereopsis, and
• ColorCheck color vision test.

If you would like to schedule a training for your group, please contact Wendy at Prevent Blindness, Ohio Affiliate at wendyk@pbohio.org or 614-464-2020 ext. 103. Trainings last approximately 6 hours. Trainings have a minimum of 15 individuals, either entirely from your office, or adding in individuals from the local community.