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Report recommendations focus on ensuring better vision care for children
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Children may not be routinely screened for vision disorders before entering school, and those who are often do not receive adequate follow-up care to address vision problems, according to the National Commission on Vision and Health.
In a paper titled "Building a Comprehensive Child Vision Care System," the commission reports that low socioeconomic status and lack of health care coverage may exclude some children from proper vision testing.
In a press release announcing the report, the commission recommended that "agencies at the federal, state and local levels collaborate with academia, business, providers and the public to create a comprehensive child vision care system to ensure all children are assessed for potential eye and vision problems before entering school and throughout the school years."
According to the release, the report makes specific recommendations to enact legislation at the state and federal level that would mandate child vision health care. The report also calls for the creation of children's vision guidelines for screening and examination that would be adopted by all states.
The commission recommended the creation of a children's vision health center that would operate under the direction of the Department of Health and Human Services that could lead campaigns to improve vision screening, as well as collect epidemiologic data.