Five-Year Trends in Pediatric Vision Screening and Access in the United States

Prevalence of Comprehensive Eye Examination in Preschool Children With Eye Conditions

“…Unfortunately, despite recent policy changes and advances in vision screening tools, 13 , 16 pediatric vision screenings and follow through on referral recommendations remain inadequate in the U.S. Twenty-four states, including California, still do not mandate vision screening for preschool children. 17 The prevalence of vision screening among children aged ≤5 years in the U.S. remained around 40% during 2016–2020, 18 similar to those reported for 2008 and 2011. 17 One study in Baltimore, MD found that <53% of pre-kindergarten children who failed vision screenings received follow-up eye care afterward.…”

Pediatric and School-Age Vision Screening in the United States: Rationale, Components, and Future Directions

“…In recent years, the rates of vision screening in the United States have progressively decreased. The National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) showed that caregiver-reported vision screening declined by 13.6% from 2016 to 2020 (9.6% to 60.1%) [ 29 ]. This downward trend continued into 2021 as the most recent NSCH data suggest slightly fewer than 55% of children under 17 years completed vision screening [ 30 ].…”

“…This downward trend continued into 2021 as the most recent NSCH data suggest slightly fewer than 55% of children under 17 years completed vision screening [ 30 ]. Furthermore, screening rates vary significantly across different socioeconomic and demographic groups [ 29 , 30 ]. Children without insurance or who have gaps in insurance coverage are less likely to receive vision screening and are more likely to report higher rates of unmet vision needs [ 31 ].…”

“…It is estimated that over 3 million students across the United States missed vision screenings during the 2020–2021 academic year as a result of the pandemic [ 39 ]. In addition, according to the NSCH data, there was an 85.7% relative increase in the number of children who did not receive vision care in 2020, as reported by their caregivers at the onset of the pandemic [ 29 ].…”

Bridging the Gap in Adolescent Vision Care Through Schools

“…6 The study by Oke et al shows lower reported rates of vision testing among older adolescents in a cross-sectional NSCH data set. Also of concern, Chauhan et al 7 showed an overall decline in reported vision testing over time. Using NSCH data over a 5-year period from 2016 to 2020, the study showed a decrease in reported vision testing from 69.6% to 60.1% among all children.…”