Question 1

Can iScreen Vision be used to perform a school vision screening or vision screening in a school (also known as school vision screening or school nurse vision screening)?

tom · Accepted Answer

Yes, if the vision screener is purchased by, and vision screenings are conducted under the supervision of,a licensed healthcare practitioner. Because iScreen Vision is a prescription device, federal law restricts the device to “sale by or on the order of a licensed healthcare practitioner.”

Question 2

Are there any best practices for School Nurses to follow in performing vision screening?

tom · Accepted Answer

English and Spanish on the AAPOS website. (http://www.aapos.org/ahp/resources_for_school_nurses) Kathy Lee, MD, developed a Vision Screening Tutorial as a resource for school nurses. The tutorialdiscusses how to screen vision and the best practices in school vision screening. The tutorial covers topics including:

Rationale for effective school vision screening
Information regarding refractive errors, amblyopia and strabismus
Elements of a successful screening program
Pearls and pitfalls of traditional vision screening
Examples of preferred and non-preferred charts
Demonstration of the proper use of objective vision screening devices (ie photorefractors)
Presentation of other elements of vision screening including color, stereoacuity and near vision
Effective screening of special needs children

Question 3

Are there any other resources available for school nurses who want to perform pediatric vision screening?

tom · Accepted Answer

Yes. Dr. Lee also gave a talk about “Efficient and Effective School Vision Screening” at the 2010 NASN National Convention. The presentation is available for download at aapos.org/viewdocument/efficient-effective-school-vision

. According to Dr. Lee, the advantages of “objective” screening devices such as photoscreeners for vision screening in schools by school doctors or school nurses include:

Allows testing of kids who can’t participate in subjective visual acuity testing
Quick
“Very accurate data.”

The disadvantages that Dr. Lee cites are that they don’t provide a visual acuity measure (e.g., 20/20), they can be expensive, and results can be manufacturer and user-dependent.

Another resource from the same 2010 convention is a lecture entitled Pediatric Ophthalmology for School Nurses: What You Need to Know.

This PowerPoint lecture includes 3 talks:
Common Causes of Red Eye in the Pediatric Population by Jane C. Edmond MD
Reading, Dyslexia and Vision by Sheryl M. Handler, MD
Vision Screening and Vision Screening Devices by Daniel E. Neely, MD

This Powerpoint is available on the AAPOS website here.

Question 4

Why is iScreen Vision useful for vision screening by nurses in schools?

tom · Accepted Answer

Because iScreen Vision is a photoscreener, it is designed to create digital “red reflex” images of a child’s eyes, which allows school nurses to screen the vision of children who are too young to use an eye chart, or Snellen chart, and also allows for a more comprehensive vision screening than vision screenings which school nurses perform with just eye charts. Source: American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS) website athttp://www.aapos.org/ahp/resources_for_school_nurses.

School Vision Screening FAQs
These FAQs discuss topics including:School Vision Screening, the National Association of School Nurses (sometimes referred to as the School Nurse Association), and School Nurse Vision Screening.

School Vision Screening FAQs