4158.0: Tuesday, November 14, 2000 - 12:45 PM

Abstract #14007

What is the best age to conduct preschool vision screening?

Tammy M. Johnson, MPH and Sean P. Donahue, MD, PhD. Department of Ophthalmology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 110B, Med. Arts Bldg, 1211 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37212, (615) 936-2725, Tammy.Johnson@mcmail.vanderbilt.edu

Objective. The critical time for detecting and treating amblyopia and amblyogenic factors is during the pre-literate stage of a child's life - prior to school screenings. Several programs currently conduct screening of young children, but methodologies differ in terms of screening devices (and/or techniques), location of a captive audience, age of children, and screening personnel. Specifically, within this time period the optimum age to screen children is unknown. Methods. We reviewed our results from screening 25,000 children in our statewide, volunteer led, preschool vision screening program using the MTI PhotoScreener. Results were classified by age of child. Outcome measures included referral rate, unreadable rate, follow-up rate and predictive value positive. Results. The referral rate for children aged 12-60 months averaged 5.3% for all age groups; children under 12 months of age had a 7.8% referral rate. The unreadable photograph rate declined exponentially from 12.1% for children under 1 year to 1.1% for 4 year-old children. The predictive value of a positive screening rose from 38% for children under 1 year to 82% for children over age 4. Conclusion. Because the unreadable rate decreases rapidly during the first 23 months of life while the predictive value positive increases during that time, mandated photoscreening programs may wish to target children over one year of age.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to: 1) Identify preschool vision screening protocol differences; 2) Recognize that the best age for screening is unknown and is under much controversy; and 3) Evaluate the disparity in screening outcome measures for children screened under 12 months of age, between 12 and 24 months of age, and 2, 3, and 4 years of age

Keywords: Vision Care, Screening

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

The 128th Annual Meeting of APHA