Our Prevention of Blindness department provides vision screenings and education programs for children throughout Luzerne, Pike, Wayne and Wyoming counties. The main focus of the prevention of blindness department is to find undetected, yet treatable, vision conditions in children and adults.
Each year we provide Vision Screenings for thousands of children in our service areas. These screenings help to detect potential vision and eye health problems, often before symptoms are noticed. All of our Vision Screenings are free of charge. For more information or to schedule a Vision Screening at your facility call us at 570-693-3555 ext. 227 or email us.
Children’s Vision Screening
Children with poor vision do not necessarily know how well they should be seeing therefore, they typically do not express that they are experiencing difficulties. Their vision may blur, they may see double, or have good vision in only one eye. Children usually won’t complain because they are simply unaware there is an issue with their sight. Many parents are also unaware of issues since detection is difficult by simple observation.
Eighty percent of what a child learns before age twelve is comprised of visual cues. Undetected vision problems in children may manifest as signs of learning disabilities: frustration, inability to pay attention or follow instructions, frequently missed words or reversal of words, or inability to maintain place while reading. Sixty-four percent of children under the age of five have never had a vision screening and an even higher percentage have never had a comprehensive eye exam by an eye care professional. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that a child’s eyes be screened for problems at:
- Birth
- Six months
- Between ages three and four
- Age five
- Every year following
The preschool years are the best time to discover eye defects for the maximum results in correction. Many visual problems cannot be corrected if they are not treated between the ages of one and six. With early intervention and proper medical treatment vision problems in children ages three-five can often be corrected or addressed so as to have minimal impact on the child’s functioning vision.
We conduct free vision screenings at preschools, daycare centers and kindergarten registrations. Children’s vision screenings are completed using the SPOT vision screening equipment by WelchAllyn, a hand-held autorefractor, which scans both eyes at the same time from a comfortable three feet away. If a child shows signs of a visual problem and does not pass our screening, we refer that child to an eye care professional for a complete eye exam.
Portions of our Children’s Vision Screenings are funded by generous contributions from our friends at Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and at PPL Foundation. We can’t thank them enough!!
