Louisiana State Vision Screening Program

Abstract

The primary goals of our eye screening program are to determine the presence of a reduction in visual acuity, or a muscle imbalance, or both. Since these are two of the primary goals of an orthoptic evaluation, we feel that the eye screening technicians can learn valuable tools from an orthoptist and her patients. We feel that the success of our seventeen-year training program has proven to us that non-medical personnel can be trained to be effective screeners of the preschool and school age child. Technicians are taught techniques for recognizing the most critical visual problems and are given a well defined set of criteria for referral. Accuracy and expertise in testing give a screening program credibility with the parents and in the associated medical community.

• muscle imbalance
• orthoptist
• school visual screening technician
• visual acuity