Dudley Child Vision Screening - AWARD

The UK National Screening Committee (UKNSC) recommends vision screening in 4-5-years old children to detect reduced or abnormal vision in one or both eyes; primarily to detect amblyopia, a form of abnormal vision system development, including strabismus and refractive error. Early detection of amblyopia may result in the avoidance of permanent visual impairments by allowing early

intervention. The direct health outcome is the optimal development of vision for children with amblyopia though prompt access to treatment. Children are not often able to recognise if they have poor vision, whether this be in one or both eyes, hence the need for an objective screening test to determine visual acuity.

Cohort

The target population is 4-5 years old primary school entrant age children across Dudley. There is estimated to be approximately 4000 children in this age group per academic year. The Service operates within the boundaries of Dudley Council and therefore will include children whose family live outside the Dudley area, but the child attends a school within Dudley. This includes children attending mainstream and special schools, independent schools and children who are not in education, including those electively home educated.

The service also includes targeted screening for preschool children who are referred for assessment via their Health Visitor. Figures from recent years estimate these to be less than 200 children in a year.

Safeguarding needs would always override any boundary discrepancy if services were needed.

Exclusion

Screening will not be delivered to any child where:

• They are already receiving care from specialist optometry services.
• Parent / carer consent is not provided.

Aims

The aim of this service is to identify children, aged 4 to 5 years old, and preschool aged children who are referred in by health visitors, with impaired sight enabling timely intervention. The service will aim to assess the eyesight of reception age children attending mainstream, independent and special schools and children who are home-schooled; in addition to preschool children who are referred in by their Health Visitor.