Parents Q & A
Q: When is VIP coming to my child’s school?
A: Your child’s school or child care center will most likely send you a letter notifying you of the screening date. You may also look on our schedule tab to see if your school is scheduled in the near future.
Q: Vision Is Priceless is coming to my child’s school-what is involved in vision screening?
A: For children in Kindergarten and younger, teachers will be provided with a packet to help the students practice their shapes, which are used in place of letters on the vision charts. Parents are also encouraged to practice these shapes with their children at home. Children will be asked to stand with a VIP staff member or volunteer at a specific distance from each chart and identify the shapes that are being pointed out. The screener will cover one eye and then the other to ensure the child is able to see the chart correctly in both eyes. In addition, VIP staff and volunteers may ask the child to look at them so they can identify any irregular movement of the eye, drooping of the lid etc. The process is not invasive and our screeners are well trained to make the child feel at ease.
Sometimes, if children are shy or do not feel confident speaking they will be given a sheet that they can hold and point to the shape they are seeing rather than say the shape out loud.
Q: My child received a referral - what does that mean?
A: A child may receive a referral for several reasons. They may have trouble seeing the chart with one or both eyes, and therefore their acuity suggests they may need corrective lenses. They may have an eye that is not as strong or is not focusing as well as the other eye. They may have redness in their eye or a drooping eyelid, or other signs of a possible vision problem. Sometimes a child may be unable to screen because they are excited by the visitors and not able to stand still, speak clearly, or stay focused.
Q: Why haven’t I noticed a problem with my child’s vision and they have received a referral?
A: Children are often unaware that what they are seeing is not the way everyone else sees the world, and they may not complain about their vision. Also, the child may have compensated for so long with the ‘strong’ eye they do not notice a problem. Or perhaps they are seeing clearly but their eyes are not moving ‘together’. Children may complain of headaches not realizing it is from straining to see. Without proper screening, it is often difficult to detect a vision problem in young children.
Q: My child received a referral-what do I do now?
A: If your child receives a referral from VIP we recommend you contact your pediatrician who can recommend an eye care professional who sees children of your child’s age. When you take your child to the eye care professional, we ask that you give them your child's referral form to complete and return it to VIP via fax or mail. This allows us to ensure those we screen are receiving care as well as to help us ensure our screeners are catching and identifying problems accurately.
If your child does not have health coverage and you need financial assistance to take them for an eye exam or to purchase glasses, you may be eligible to receive free care through our Cared Vision Program. Please contact our office or see the Cared Vision Program tab on this website for more details.
Q: Why is vision screening important for my child?
A: As a child, over 80% of learning comes through vision, especially as they begin to learn to read and enter school. Even a slight vision impairment can hinder their learning.