Screening for Visual Impairment in Children Younger than Age 5 Years

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

Release Date: May 2004

Summary of Recommendation / Supporting Documents

Summary of Recommendation

• The USPSTF recommends screening to detect amblyopia, strabismus, and defects in visual acuity in children younger than age 5 years.

  Rating: "B" recommendation.

  Rationale: The USPSTF found no direct evidence that screening for visual impairment in children leads to improved visual acuity. However, the USPSTF found fair evidence that screening tests have reasonable accuracy in identifying strabismus, amblyopia, and refractive error in children with these conditions; that more intensive screening compared with usual screening leads to improved visual acuity; and that treatment of strabismus and amblyopia can improve visual acuity and reduce long-term amblyopia. The USPSTF found no evidence of harms for screening, judged the potential for harms to be small, and concluded that the benefits of screening are likely to outweigh any potential harms.

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Supporting Documents

Screening for Visual Impairment in Children Younger than Age 5 Years, May 2004
Recommendation Statement (PDF File, 205 KB; PDF Help)
Update of the Evidence (PDF File, 130 KB; PDF Help)
Systematic Evidence Review (PDF Files Download)
What's New (PDF File, 256 KB; PDF Help)

Current as of May 2004

Internet Citation:

Screening for Visual Impairment in Children Younger than Age 5 Years, Topic Page. May 2004. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/uspstf/uspsvsch.htm