Are You Correctly Screening the Vision of Children 3, 4, and 5 Years Old?
Early vision screening is an important, essential element in school readiness and overall child health. Uncorrected vision problems can impair child development, interfere with learning, and even lead to permanent vision loss. The medical home is an important site of vision screening, referral, and eye health care coordination. Many primary care practices are not up-to-date on evidence-based approaches to preschool vision screening and many are using outdated vision screening equipment and charts. 
Through funding from the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) and the Save Our Sight Program, the Preschool Vision Screening (PVS) Learning Collaborative is bringing together key partners including the Ohio Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics (Ohio AAP); Prevent Blindness, Ohio Affiliate (PBO); and ODH to prevent vision loss in preschool age children by supporting pediatric primary care providers in increasing screening rates, improving billing practices, and increasing referral to an eye care specialist for preschool age children who do not pass a vision screen.
At the end of the most recent wave of the PVS Learning Collaborative, providers were successfully completing comprehensive vision screening 88% of the time during a well visit for their preschool age population, compared to 8% of the time at the beginning of the collaborative.
“Our clinic found all the training and practice coaching in the PVS quality improvement project very helpful. The training our medical assistants received was so helpful and important, and really helped us improve vision screening in our clinic. Our families really liked the “new” way of screening and the resources that were provided. We are glad we participated. It was a very enjoyable experience,” stated a 2020 PVS program participant.
What is in it for YOU and YOUR patients? As part of the project, primary care practices will be trained in evidence-based approaches to screening and referral and provided with up-to-date vision screening equipment including:
- Onsite vision screening training and certification for your staff
- Customized, expert practice coaching and support
- Up-to-date vision screening equipment valued at $800
- MOC II, MOC IV, and continuing nurse education credits
- Access to free eye exams and eyeglasses for uninsured or underinsured adults and children
Join the PVS Learning Collaborative now to ensure your preschool patients have healthy vision!
The next program will launch this fall and space is limited; contact Kristen Fluitt to enroll today!
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