Kinder and School Vision Screenings

Our optometrists are able to provide s vision screenings from Kinder to grade 2. These screenings are able to take place at the kindergarten or school. Please contact us for more information on 9398 1344.

Why should children have a vision screening?

• Children are often unaware that there is something different with their vision or that they have a problem. They may think that what they see is normal, or be unable to describe accurately what is happening.  Some children will avoid tasks that they find visually uncomfortable, or find ways to adapt around their problem.
• Research has shown that vision is the sense responsible for 80% of learning in the normal sighted population. Subtle difficulties with vision can go unnoticed and have a significant impact on how a child learns.

The vision screening assesses:

• Distance vision –how well does the child see in the distance.
• Near vision – how well does the child see at near.
• Focus ability – is the child able to focus well and with sustained tasks and are they able to change focus from far distance to near tasks easily.
• Eye co-ordination – are the 2 eyes able to work well together and point together easily at the same object in space.
• Eye movement control – can the child moves their eyes smoothly (pursuit eye movements such as those used to catch a ball), and can they accurately control their jumping eye movements (saccadic eye movements such as those used when reading).
• Colour vision – this is useful information to have in a classroom, especially if a child has difficulty distinguishing some colours.
• Depth perception – this skill is used to judge depth accurately and develops well if there is accurate eye movements, focusing and eye co-ordination.

What happens after the screening?

• A report will be organised for each child participating in the screening with an explanation of findings.
• If you suspect a child has a vision problem they should be seen for a comprehensive vision test at our practice. The vision screening is to evaluate which children may need further testing. Full diagnosis of a visual condition is not possible without comprehensive assessment.