Many children enter school with vision problems. Children usually do not know that they see differently. Early identification of an eye problem is important. Conditions like amblyopia, or lazy eye, can be prevented if detected and treated during pre-school years.

Vision screening of pre-school and school-age children includes tests for clearness of vision, eye muscle balance, farsightedness, and symptoms of eyesight problems. All vision screening and testing procedures are approved by the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH). The tests used to screen pre-school and school-age children are not diagnostic, but identify children who may have vision problems that require additional evaluation and follow-up. A referral is made to an eye care professional after a child has failed one or more of the battery of vision screening tests. Five to ten percent of the children screened in Michigan are referred to an eye care professional.

• The battery of vision screening tests is administered by local health department staff who have been trained by the Vision Consultant in the Division of Family and Community at MDCH. Technicians who perform EPSDT screening complete a two-day training course including practicum with both pre-school and school-age children. Technicians who perform pre-school and school-age screens complete a two-week training course, including practicums with all ages of children.

• Quality assurance is provided for approximately 200 local health department school screening technicians by the MDCH Vision Consultant and a cadre of specially trained individuals, through field visits and skills update workshops provided yearly in at least two regional sites. Consultation is also provided to Vision Program Coordinators in all local health departments.

• All county or district health departments have a Vision Screening Program which includes initial screening, retesting, and referral of children. In addition, follow-up for all screening is required which assures that care is received. When follow-up is completed, counties report those findings to MDCH. Local health departments also provide community-based education on vision conservation.

• Screening is available to all children in Michigan without cost, and screenings are conducted in public, private, and charter schools as well as in health department based clinics.

• The Vision Screening Program screens more than 850,000 pre-school and school-age children in Michigan each year.

• More than 70,000 referrals are made to eye doctors annually.

Program Forms:

• Vision Screening Order Form,  DCH-0504
• Quarterly Report Batch Sheet,  DCH-0605

Other Resources:

• Vision Screening: An Explanation to Eye Care Professionals

Contact:

• Dr.Rachel Schumann,Vision Program Consultant, 517-335-6596.