Research

Utilization and barriers to eye care following school-wide pediatric vision screening

Ontario’s Child Visual Health and Vision Screening Protocol introduced in 2018 is evaluated in this study, focusing on senior kindergarten students (aged 4-6 years). Vision screening data from 41 schools, involving 1,127 children, were collected during the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 school years. Subsequently, phone follow-ups were conducted 1-1.5 years after screening to assess resource utilization and barriers to eye care access. The findings revealed a 32.2% referral rate following vision screening. Among the referred children who responded, 69.9% sought eye care, and 65.2% of these visits were prompted by the screening. About 34.4% of referred children were prescribed glasses. Notably, a significant association was observed between receiving a referral and living in more materially and socially deprived areas. The study identified common barriers to accessing eye care, including insufficient insurance coverage, COVID-19-related challenges, and scheduling conflicts. Overall, the vision screening program successfully identified and referred more than a third of screened children for follow-up eye examinations, with those in more deprived neighborhoods more frequently referred.

Publication date

May 4, 2022

Publication

Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology

Authors

Patrick Wang, Sonya Bianchet, Megan Carter, Wilma Hopman, Christine Law
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