Vision disorders are the fourth most common disability among children in the United States and the leading cause of impaired conditions in childhood. Recent studies estimate that only 21% of all preschool children are screened for vision problems and only 14% receive a comprehensive vision exam.

The AAP received funding from the federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), to assume a leadership role in combating barriers to vision screening of preschool children.

Project Universal Preschool Vision Screening (PUPVS) hopes to encourage collaborative relationships among key stakeholders, establish linkages between vision screening and the medical home, and ensure appropriate follow-up for children who require further evaluation. The information obtained from the pilot sites will be used to develop national recommendations for vision screening. Each selected pilot site has been awarded $20,000 to develop and implement a community-based, collaborative preschool vision-screening program.

Selected PUPVS Pilot Sites
Prime Care Pediatrics/Ohio Chapter of the AAP
This pilot site demonstrates multidisciplinary collaboration which consists of Prime Care Pediatrics of Southeastern Ohio, the Ohio Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Ohio Department of Health, the Ohio Vision Screening Coalition and Prevent Blindness Ohio. This project aims to implement a voluntary children's vision screening training and certification program for health care professionals practicing in primary care settings, allied health professionals, community service organization members, and others serving children. This effort will target health care professionals practicing in primary care settings who regularly provide health care to preschoolers or who are in a position to offer vision screening services in their communities. The project area encompasses two southeastern Ohio Appalachian area counties.

Cumberland Pediatric Foundation
This project will evaluate the relative usefulness of traditional vision screening and two types of automated photoscreening when used within the medical home. Cumberland Pediatrics Foundation is a 330-physician pediatric group serving 17 counties in middle Tennessee. Interested pediatricians will choose to be educated regarding traditional screening or photoscreening. Data will be ascertained regarding referral rates and predictive value before and after such education.

Prevent Blindness Virginia
This project proposes a major collaborative effort with two private pediatric practices and Virginia Commonwealth University's Medical College of Virginia pediatric group practice to provide high-quality, comprehensive vision screenings in the Richmond, Virginia area for 36-59 month old children. Prevent Blindness America's Certified Vision Screening protocol and referral criteria will be used to perform these medical home-based screenings through the training certification and supervision of nurses and other health professionals employed by these practices.

The Vision Screening Program at West Virginia University
This pilot site builds on the work of an existing program established in July 2000 by the Pediatric Ophthalmology Section of the Department of Ophthalmology. The goal of this program is to begin a wide-scale, community-based preschool vision screening in the state. A network of community groups and state coalitions is utilized to serve eight counties, centered around Charleston (state capitol) and Morgantown (home of WVU). The goal of the program is to provide education and training to child health care providers on how to screen preschool-aged children in their communities, often in their medical homes. The West Virginia Affiliate of Prevent Blindness America serves as a partner to train screeners. Data from the screening sites and from follow-up eye care will be analyzed to evaluate the screening and program effectiveness.

The Ratner Children's Eye Center at
The University of California, San Diego
This pilot site is funded by a grant from the Lions Clubs International Foundation. This site proposes to partner with the San Diego Neighborhood House Association Head Start to provide vision screening to 6,000 children, and coordinate this vision screening with the medical home. In addition, this site will study attitudes to vision screening among parents and teachers, develop and pilot an educational module for parents and teachers about early vision screening and follow-up, and develop and pilot a half-day clinical rotation for UCSD pediatric residents.

The selected PUPVS pilot sites have worked on project activities from July 1, 2001 to September 30, 2002. For further information on PUPVS or the pilot sites, please send e-mail to screening@aap.org. Reports on these pilot sites are expected to be posted in 2003.

Additional Information

• PUPVS Project Procedures
• Description of PUPVS Pilot Sites

Last Updated August 6, 2008