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Home > In Brief: Purpose
In Brief: Purpose
Vision problems are not usually obvious but they are the fourth most prevalent class of disability in the United States and the most prevalent handicapping conditions in childhood. Undiagnosed vision problems can threaten the health and normal development of young children, as they may be less likely to do well in school and may be less likely to become productive adults. However, fewer than 22 percent of preschool children receive some type of vision screening and fewer than 15 percent receive an eye examination. Early detection of vision problems in preschoolers gives us a chance to help these children so that they can succeed in school and later in life.
Currently, vision screening is performed using many different types of screening tests. The primary goal of the VIP Study is to determine whether there are tests or combinations of tests that can be used effectively to determine which preschoolers would benefit from a comprehensive eye examination to detect amblyopia, strabismus, significant refractive error, and/or reduced visual acuity. Amblyopia (2-5%), strabismus (3-4%), and significant refractive error (10-15%) are the prevalent and significant vision disorders of preschool-aged children. The children who participate in the VIP Study help to find the bests tests for preschool vision screening. You can go to our archives to find newsletters and brochures published by the Vision In Preschoolers Study Group.
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How Can You Tell If a Child Might Have a Vision Problem?
Risks and Warning Signs of a Vision Problem:
a family history of eye problems,
crossed eyes or eye turn,
lazy eye, or
childhood eye disease.
Behaviors or Traits Which Could Indicate a Vision Problem:
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eyes that don't appear quite right,
crooked or unusual head position,
a lack of interest in tasks that are performed close-up,
an inability to stay on task,
holding things too closely,
rubbing eyes frequently,
blinking too frequently,
red or crusty eyes,
complaining about itchy, burning, or painful eyes,
an unusual sensitivity to light,
poor eye-hand coordination or trouble sensing how far away something is (depth perception),
complaining about seeing double,
squinting, closing one eye, or covering one eye frequently,
complaining about headaches after reading, or using a finger as a place mark while reading.
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A child who has or does these
things may have a vision
problem and needs an eye exam.
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