Vision screening for children: current trends, technology, and legislative issues

Abstract

The purpose of this review is to examine current trends in vision screening for children. Literature within the past year regarding children's vision screening has been dominated by clinical validation studies of autorefractors or photoscreeners that allow the detection of amblyogenic refractive errors, misalignment of the eyes, or media opacities. New technologies reported include wave-front analysis for amblyogenic factors and a visual evoked potentials-based screening tool for the preverbal child. Studies evaluating the goals of the screening program, the target population, and the physical limitations of the screening environment have prompted multipronged or hybrid studies designed to more accurately detect vision problems, particularly in the preschool child, in whom cooperation and cognitive development affect reliability of results. State and federal legislation in the United States has been proposed or adopted to regulate and partially fund pediatric vision screening and comprehensive examinations. Through improvements and new developments in technology, study design, the efforts of organized medicine, and legislative initiatives, vision screening for children continues toward the goal of bringing all children with eye disease or vision problems to treatment in a timely fashion.