Program Steps
The Abrahamson Pediatric Eye Institute (APEI) funds the Vision Screening Program within the Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. There are many steps to conducting a thorough screening.
Steps in a vision screening examination
Step 1: Patient History
- Reason for visit?
- Does the vision seem normal?
- Is there any pain or discomfort in the eyes?
- Do the eyes appear straight?
- Is there any family history of vision problems such as: amblyopia (lazy eye), glaucoma, cataracts, etc.?
- Is there any family history of chronic illness such as: diabetes, sickle cell/trait, heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, or any eye diseases?
Step 2: External Eye Examination
- Inspection of the eyelids and orbits
- Inspection of the pupils
- Light reflex
Step 3: Visual Acuity Testing **
- Children should be screened before entering school
- The highest or most difficult level of test the child is capable of using, should always be used
- The easiest test uses pictures instead of numbers or letters
** If patient wears glasses or contacts, the visual acuity should be tested with this correction.
Step 4: Alignment and Fusion
- Make sure the eyes are straight, not just "appearing" straight
