Children's Health Queensland’s prep vision screening program has checked the eyesight of more than 400,000 young Queenslanders in the past decade, giving every child the best chance to thrive in the classroom.
The free screenings offered to all state, Catholic and independent schools every year aim to detect conditions such as amblyopia or ‘lazy eye’, the leading cause of preventable blindness in Australian children.
Undetected vision issues can lead to difficulties with concentration and behavioural issues in the classroom, which can negatively impact a child’s learning outcomes.
Each year, the Prep vision screening program visits more than 1,500 Queensland schools. Since the program started in 2016, 400,496 children have been screened.
In that time, more than 30,000 children have been found to have a possible visual abnormality and referred to an eye health professional with 80 per cent of those confirmed to have a visual abnormality.
The service is delivered by 44 registered nurses, based in Hospital and Health Services across Queensland.
The screening takes about five minutes and involves two non-invasive screening tools: a photograph of the eyes and a card-matching game
If a vision concern is found, parents and carers are asked to get a further assessment with an eye health professional (optometrist or ophthalmologist).
Primary School Nurse Health Readiness Program Nurse Unit Manager, Rachel Keel, said vision screening was especially important for children starting school, helping ensure they have the strongest possible foundation for learning.
“Children’s eyes are always developing, so identifying issues early gives us the best chance to treat conditions effectively,” Ms Keel said.
“Early detection of a vision problem can change a child’s life. It helps them engage fully at school and in everyday activities.
“A child with an undetected vision problem may not be able to clearly see, understand what their teacher is teaching them and may struggle to concentrate in class. This, in turn, can affect their confidence and cause behavioural issues. All of these issues can negatively impact their learning and lifelong outcomes.”
“Young children don’t always realise or communicate that their vision isn’t clear, so parents are often surprised when screening picks up a potential issue,” she added.
If parents or carers have concerns about their child’s eyes at any time, they should make an appointment to see an eye health professional as soon as possible.
Learn more about the prep vision screening program.
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Media contact: t: +61 7 3068 5111 e: chqnews@health.qld.gov.au