Pre-school Orthoptist
Vision Screening
Nursery Eye Sight Check-up, information for Nursery Staff
Dear Nursery Teacher
Nursery: …………………………..……… Date of visit: ………………
As agreed by telephone, the Orthoptist will attend your nursery school on the above date. Please find enclosed pre-printed (with child’s demographic details) Vision Screening Questionnaires to be issued to parent/carer’s of all children eligible for their pre-school vision check. The questionnaires must be returned to the Nursery prior to the eye check.
If a child does not have a form it may be for one of the following reasons; the child is older than the current year group (deferred children should have been tested the year before); the child has already been tested elsewhere, or they live out with the catchment area. I enclose a few blank forms which can be issued to eligible children who do not have a pre-printed form.
Returned forms should be passed to the Orthoptist on the day of screening and inform the orthoptist of any children that you know where consent has not been given.
What is happening?
NHS Lothian Orthoptic service offers all children a free eyesight check-up in their preschool year for children eligible to start school the following year. These tests pick up eye problems, which can be easily corrected with glasses (spectacles) and/or an eye patch
It is important that this vision screening test is carried out in this age group as this allows time to correct any eyesight problems before the child starts school.
Why is this happening?
In response to the Health for All Children (HFAC4) Report the Scottish Government has recommended that all children should be offered an eyesight test before they start school. Orthoptists are trained to test for and treat eyesight problems in young children.
What does the test involve?
The test is designed to be simple for pre-school children. It takes about 10 minutes and involves matching pictures or letters, and looking at a light. No eye-drops are used. The test should show any problems with the eye-sight or a squint. After the test, a note of the child’s result within sealed envelope will be left with the nursery staff to pass this onto the parent/carer when the child is collected.
What happens if a problem is found?
If a problem with eye-sight is suspected then the child will be referred to the hospital orthoptist, Ophthalmologist (Eye Doctor) or local optician for further tests. If these further tests confirm that there is a problem, treatment will be offered. Treatment is usually with glasses (spectacles) and/or an eye patch.
If, after a normal result, the parent/carer still has worries about the child’s eye-sight, they should seek advice from their general practitioner (GP) or a local optician.
How will the eyesight test be arranged?
A member of the Pre-school vision screening team will have contacted you to arrange a suitable date for the orthoptist’s visit. Please distribute the pre-printed Vision Screening Questionnaires to parent/carers and ask them to complete and return the Questionnaire to the Nursery. If parents/carers do not wish their child to be screened they must opt out by completing the ‘NO’ consent box on the Questionnaire and their child will not be tested. The returned forms should be passed to the Orthoptist on the day of screening.
How involved in the vision screening will the nursery staff be?
To support the vision screening programme, nursery staff will be involved in
· handing out and collecting Questionnaires from parent/carers.
· separating Questionnaires into bundles of AM / PM children.
· helping to identify the children for screening as this assists in getting the screening carried out quickly with minimal disruption to the nursery timetable.
· passing the result of screening test slips to parent/carer when child collected
How often will the orthoptist visit the nursery?
This depends on the number of children to be tested and how smoothly the sessions run. The intention is to test 15-20 children each morning and afternoon session.
What facilities does the orthoptist need?
On the day of the vision test the orthoptist will need an area of at least 3 metres length, good lighting, reasonably quiet and free from distraction and within close proximity to the nursery class/playroom. A small table and chairs for the children to work at would be useful.
If you need to discuss anything about the test, please call
Vicky Laidlaw, Lead Orthoptist on 0131 536 3765
For information about dates/paperwork please contact the Pre-school Screening Administrator on 0131 446 4119.
26.11.12