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Fricchione eye
School eye screenings often miss vision problems in children. This document outlines the importance of comprehensive eye exams in childhood vision screening and learning. It recommends eye exams at ages 6 months, 3 years, and 6 years, then every 2 years. The goal is to increase awareness of early childhood vision problems and the need for regular eye exams through educating parents, teachers, and school nurses using materials distributed in schools and advertising.
Fricchione eye
- 1. By Julianna Fricchione
- 2. School eye exams only screen for distance vision. Eye Screenings miss 70%-80% of Children’s vision problems. Children who have 20/20 vision can still have a number of eye problems that will effect learning. Inner-city children are most vulnerable because they are least likely to receive adequate medical care, do not go to doctors outside of school, and rely heavily on school provided services.
- 3. VISION USA- Free eye exams for those who fit criteria. InfantSEE- Free eye screenings for infants 6 to 12 months. It is recommended that eye screenings begin at 6 months of age. Recommended ages for eye exams are 6 months/3 years/ 6 years, then every 2 years after. Several states have their own eye exam programs. Parents can help detect vision problems by looking for warning signs. Even the most highly trained screener with the most precise equipment miss 1/3 of children with eye and vision problems. 87% of people are unaware that 1 in 4 children have a vision problem. Free or low cost eye exams are provided through Medicaid for those who qualify 80% of learning is visual when under the age of 12
- 4. Increase awareness of vision problems in early childhood Create an awareness in the need for early childhood eye examinations Distinguish between eye screenings and eye exams Increase the number of children, ages 6 and under, who are getting comprehensive eye exams
- 5. “comprehensive eye exams” “help learning” “Biannual eye exams” “6/3/6” “Back to school eye exams” “Early eye examinations leads to life long benefits”
- 6. Parents Teachers School Nurses
- 7. By working through the public school system, we will inform nurses and teachers on the signs of children with eye problems. Helpful materials, such as pamphlets and checklists, will also be given to the schools to distribute to parents. By using a combination of news media and paid advertising, parents will gain more knowledge on comprehensive eye exams through an additional channel that is not school related.
- 8. Back to school parent check list Available free/low cost eye exam programs Morning television appearances of a specialist Add placement in magazines such as “Parenting” and “Baby Talk” Placing short case studies of children, who increased their learning because of a previously undiagnosed eye problem, into teacher specific publications. EX: UFT newsletter
- 9. The campaign is structured to have most focus at the start of the new school year. (8/15- 9/30)Distributing materials to schools and television spots under the “Back to School Checklist” theme will take place mid-August until the end of September. (10/1-4/31)After September, when teachers are most likely to be familiar with their students, case studies will be placed in teacher focused publications until May. (8/15-)Regular advertising for eye-exams under the “6/3/6” campaign in parenting magazines will start immediately and be ongoing.
Editor's Notes
- #2 The unedited image is taken from dreamstime.com. Logo is from the International Council of Ophthalmology
- #3 Jeffrey R. Anshel, DS, ODhttp://www.children-special-needs.org/parenting/preschool/pediatric_eye_exams.htmlPaul Harris, Baltimore Academy for Behavioral Optometryhttp://www.visiontherapystories.org/nonverbal_learning_NLD.html
- #4 Have no private or government insurance, including Medicare or Medicaid 2.Have income below the established level based on household size — Income Level Chart 3.Have not had an eye exam within the past 24 months 4.Must be a US citizen or legal resident with a social security or legal resident number 5.Have not received a doctor referral through the VISION USA program in the last two years6. Maximum of 4 applicants per household per year.Warning signs- An eye turning inward, outward, upward or downward, frequently Bumping into objects, Red eyes or eye lids, Frequent rubbing of the eyes, Excessive tearing, Turning or tilting head to use one eye only, Encrusted eyelids, Frequent eye styes, Avoiding coloring, puzzles, or detailed activities, Difficulty with eye-hand-body coordination, Avoiding close work, Holding reading material closer than normal, Headaches, Making frequent reversals when reading or writing, Using a finger to maintain place when reading, Omitting or confusing small words when reading, Consistently performing below potential, and Behavioral problems (American Optometric Association) According to the National Eye Institute According to the responses of the AOA’s Eye-Q surveyDescriptions of covered services and qualifications vary by state
- #5 The overall objective is to get children into an optometrist’s office to have a comprehensive eye exam. To measure the campaign’s effectiveness, the number of exams pre-campaign and post-campaign must be compared. Getting these number to evaluate the campaign’s success are difficult to get because there are many different places someone can go for an exam. The best thing to do is most likely focus on a city, such as New York City, and poll a random sample of optometrists before and after the campaign to see if there is an increase or decrease in eye examinations.
- #6 There are themes to the campaign- “Back to school checklist,” “6/3/6,” and “Eyes and Learning.”Each theme is geared towards a different target audience. The “Back to school checklist” is specific to everyone.“6/3/6” is for parents whose children may not be in school. “6/3/6” stands for 6 months, 3 years, and 6 years, the ages recommended for eye examinations. “Eyes and Learning” is for teachers to be more aware of the connection between learning problems and eyesight.
- #7 A child 6 years of age and under is most likely to have the majority of their interactions with this group.
- #9 Because the campaign is asking people to do something, it is hard to create a news story. Therefore, most of the implementation will be a form of institutional advertising. Back to school check list is given to schools to give to parents. It will also be posted on the Council of Ophthalmologists' website. The checklist has everything from school supplies, vaccinations, and eye exams. The list of eye exam programs is given to schools so if they recognize a student with an eye problem, they can better assure that the child won’t see a doctor because of financial reasons. Parenting Ads will be eye catching with the Council’s logo. Each advertisement in the series will give a different fact about child eye exams (1 in 4 children have an eye problem, Symptoms X Y Z could mean ____, 80% of learning is visual) and stamped with “Get examined 6/3/6.”Morning television appearances are important. A stay at home parent is most likely to watch a 10A.M. television program like “Good Morning America.” On a show like this, a 3-5 minute segment on back to school eye exams and signs of early detection will benefit the campaign’s goals. An example of a short story taken from the Optometrists Network:When Caleb’s parents saw their son’s low reading score on a standardized test, they literally freaked out. How could this be when his teachers had not said anything was unusual? His mother noticed that his eyes watered and he rubbed them a lot when he read. He also had a tough time recognizing the same word in a sentence. When he was taken for an eye exam and explained that he got headaches when he read, Caleb’s parents thought for sure they had solved the problem. However, his report came back stating he had 20/20 vision. His 2nd grade teacher noticed that Caleb had trouble staying within a line when reading and recommended a visit with Dr. X. This proved to be what Caleb needed! When Caleb was tested again, after months of visual therapy, his scores jumped. He went from being in the first percentile to slightly above average in a matter of six months?