 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Deborah A. Orel-Bixler, PhD, OD, School of Optometry, University of California, Berkeley, 427 Minor Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720-2020, 510 642-2402, dob@spectacle.berkeley.edu and Paulette P Schmidt, OD, MS, Department of Pediatric Optometry, The Ohio State University, 338 West Tenth Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210.
The VIP Study is a prospective, multi-center, clinical study to determine the accuracy of tests to screen for vision disorders among preschool children enrolled in Head Start. The targeted vision disorders are amblyopia (decreased vision in an eye not due to disease and not correctable with glasses), strabismus (eye misalignment), and significant refractive error (nearsightedness, farsightedness, anisometropia, or astigmatism). As many as 1 in 5 preschoolers may have one of these vision disorders, yet only 16% of children younger than 6 years typically receive vision examinations. The five-year study targets 10,000 preschoolers at five clinical centers across the U.S. The primary goal is to determine which screening test(s) can identify the preschoolers with the targeted disorders. A secondary goal is to determine the required training for screening personnel. Several phases are planned. The goal of Phase I is to determine whether a single or combination of six "traditional" vision screening tests (e.g. visual acuity and stereoacuity) are effective in detecting the targeted disorders. The goal of Phase IA is to determine the effectiveness of automated devices (autorefractors and photoscreeners). In Phase I and IA, screening tests are performed by optometrists, pediatric ophthalmologists and lay screeners. Future phases will narrow the screening battery and determine the best personnel for screening. Comprehensive eye examinations provide the definitive diagnosis for each child for determination of sensitivity and specificity of the screening test(s). Information about the VIP study design, implementation and preliminary results will be presented. VIP study group grant support by the National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Vision Care, Children
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.