Primary vision screening: outcomes from referrals unrelated to visual acuity

• Main Authors: Katie Taylor, Helen Whibley
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: White Rose University Press 2012-08-01
• Series: British and Irish Orthoptic Journal
• Subjects: Child; Screening; Strabismus; Vision
• Online Access: https://www.bioj-online.com/articles/92

Aim:  To evaluate the outcomes of children referred from school vision screening with an abnormality other than reduced vision and to use the results to inform our future screening protocols. Methods:  Service review carried out via a retro- spective review of case notes. Children included were referred from Orthoptic School Screening Services on behalf of the Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Founda- tion Trust during the academic year September 2009 to August 2010. Referrals were based on our local vision screening protocol. Children were eligible for inclusion if they passed the visual acuity assessment but had abnormal eye movements, strabismus, or any ocular pathology. Results:  7600 children were screened across the entire service. Ninety-four of 7600 (1%) children were referred because of an abnormality other than reduced acuity. Of these, 3/94 (3%) declined referral and 14/94 (15%) were not brought to their first appointment, leaving 77 (82%) of those referred attending for outpatient appointments. Fifty-three of 77 (69%) were discharged without receiving treat- ment. Conclusions:  The information from this service review supports the use of cover test in the primary screening setting. Binocular single vision was restored in 45% (10/22) of treated patients. However, the testing of ocular motility, convergence and a binocular vision assessment are not supported, mean- ing that these tests have now been removed from our primary screening protocols.