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Illinois law differentiates between full eye exams and screenings
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Children in Illinois will start the new year with an added educational advantage – a law designed to inform their parents of the difference between vision screenings and complete eye exams.
Senate Bill 0805, which was signed into law Aug. 11, will take effect in Illinois on Jan. 1, 2004, according to Michael G. Horstman, executive director of the Illinois Optometric Association (IOA).
“This came about as a result of a mother’s concern over the failure of vision screening to detect her child’s visual problems,” Mr. Horstman said. “She took it upon herself to go to her legislator and have the legislation drafted. We were certainly in total support of her, because we believe that a vision screening is no substitute for a complete eye exam.”
Origin of the bill
Senate Bill 0805 was the result of tireless efforts by Illinois mother and former teacher Janet V. Hughes. Mrs. Hughes first became aware of the need for comprehensive eye exams when the severe visual problems of her daughter, Amy, went undetected by the school’s standard kindergarten vision screenings.
A subsequent full eye exam with an optometrist found Amy’s cycloplegic refraction to be +6.25 –2.50 x 170 in the right eye and +7.50 –3.25 x 4 in the left eye with a small accommodative esophoria.
Mrs. Hughes’ shock and concern over this egregious oversight prompted her to seek legislation that would clearly delineate for parents the difference between a full exam and a screening.
She originally sought to impress upon her school district the need for comprehensive eye exams rather than screenings. She then enlisted the support of Sen. Christine Radogno (R-11) in seeking legislation that would communicate the importance of eye exams.
“Her legislation requires the public health folks who do the screening to notify parents that a screening is not a substitute for a full eye exam,” Mr. Horstman said in an interview with Primary Care Optometry News. “It is essentially a notice to parents that their children are going to be screened, but that this is not an eye exam. It further informs them that if they wish to take their children for full eye exams – which is recommended – that they should do so.”
Mr. Horstman said although the IOA worked with Mrs. Hughes on passing the legislation, she was the primary catalyst for its success.
Mandatory exams on the horizon?
Mrs. Hughes’ legislation is predated by a 1987 law signed by Gov. James R. Thompson that gives individual school districts the option to mandate certain medical exams, including eye exams. Two years ago, schools in Morris, Ill., began requiring vision examinations, with other districts beginning to follow suit.
“Our school code allows superintendents to make eye exams mandatory, and now two or three districts have done that,” Mr. Horstman said. “I know Mrs. Hughes has been working on convincing her school superintendent, but, currently, it is optional for the school superintendent in each district; it is not mandatory statewide.”
Mr. Horstman said that, although ideally the IOA would like to see a statewide mandate on full, comprehensive eye exams, they are currently focused on tackling the issue one school at a time. “We will continue to work district-by-district toward implementing mandatory eye exams,” he said. “We’re very pleased with what we’ve accomplished so far, and we plan to continue with this effort.”
For Your Information:
- Michael G. Horstman is executive director of the Illinois Optometric Association. He can be reached at 304 West Washington St., Springfield, IL 62701; (217) 525-8012; fax: (217) 525-8018; e-mail: ioaed@ioaweb.org.