Fall 2012 - Indiana University School of Optometry

ecommended it: 23.9%.
K. Saw a TV ad or pamphlet about importance of
children’s eye exam: 2.2%.
L. Friend or related child had an eye problem: 6.2%.
M. Other: 22.6%.
Question 5: If your child is/was older than 1 year old at
his/her first eye exam, what may have caused you to not
bring him/her in sooner? Please rank up to your first 2
choices by putting a number 1 next to the main reason
and a number 2 on the second reason.
A. My child was seen before 1 year old by an
Optometrist/Ophthalmologist: 6.2% of parents said this
was their main reason and 1.3% of them said this was
their second reason.
B. Did not think an eye exam could be done on young
children and infants: 21.2% said this was their main
reason and 9.7% said this was their second reason.
C. Child did not appear to have any problems thus
thought didn’t need an exam: 42.5% main reason and
17.7% second reason.
D. Cost: 3.1% main reason and 4% second reason.
E. Thought a pediatrician/ nurse/ school screening would
find any problems: 9.7% main reason and 23% second
reason.
F. Did not know babies and infants can have vision
problems: 1.3% main reason and 3.1% second reason.
G. Don’t think untreated vision/eye problems in children
will cause any long term effects: 0% main reason and
1.3% second reason.
H. Other: 8%.
Question 6: If you think a child can see well and doesn’t
appear to have any problems, when do you think their
first eye exam should be?
A. Within the first year of age: 8%.
B. 1 to 2 years old: 18.1%.
C. 3 to 4 years old: 34.6%.
D. 5+ years old: 33.7%.
E. Never if no problems are noticed: 2.2%.
Question 7: Do you think that a meaningful eye exam
can be performed at: (Circle Yes or No on All)
A. 6 to 12 months? 37.2% of parents said yes and 60.2%
said no.
B. 1 to 3 years? 67.3% said yes and 28.3% said no.
C. 4 to 6 years? 93% said yes and 2.2% said no.
D. 7 and older? 95.1% said yes and 0% said no.
Question 8: Behavioral problems are a sign that your
child’s vision may be impaired: (Circle Agree or
Disagree)
68.1% of parents agreed and 26.1% disagreed.
Question 9: Have you ever heard of the InfantSEE
program where participating optometrists provide free
eye exams for children under 1 year old?
7.1% of parents said yes and 90.3% said no.
Question 10: The American Optometric Association
recommends an eye exam by an Eye Doctor at 6 months,
3 years, 5 years and throughout school. Have you ever
heard or seen these recommendations?
13.7% of parents said yes and 84.6% said no.
Question 11: The state of Kentucky requires a
mandatory full eye exam by an optometrist or
ophthalmologist before the child enters school. Do you
believe that this is a good requirement?
93% of parents said yes and 4.9% said no.
Question 12: Did you know that eye screenings with an
eye chart miss up to 1 out of 3 eye problems, and that
these problems can greatly affect a child’s ability to learn
and do well in school?
25.7% of parents said yes and 71.2% said no.
Discussion
Over two-thirds of the parents did not know that visual
acuity screening could miss significant numbers of vision
problems (Question 12). Over a third of the parents
thought that it would be appropriate to wait until five
years of age or later for their children’s first vision exams
if there didn’t appear to be any problems (Question 6).
This could result in some apparently asymptomatic
conditions such as amblyopia being missed. However, it
is interesting to note that over 90% felt that it would be
good to require children to have a full eye exam before
they enter school.
The results of this study suggest that parental knowledge
of pediatric vision care could be improved in several
areas. In addition to educating parents, optometrists
could perhaps also work more closely with primary care
physicians and pediatricians to encourage early eye and
vision examinations. Areas in which optometrists could
strive to educate parents are as follows:
● That an eye exam can be performed on children less
than one year of age.
● That early vision care is as important as early dental
care.
● Existence of the Infant SEE program
● That for asymptomatic, risk-free children, the
American Optometric Association recommends eye
exams at 6 months and at three years, and then before
first grade and every two years thereafter. 3
● That vision screenings do not substitute for a
comprehensive eye and vision examination.
Page 13... Vol. 15, Nos. 1/2 ... 2012 ... Indiana Journal of Optometry ......................................................