Evaluation of vision screening practices of Illinois pediatricians

A survey of vision screening practices of American Academy of Pediatrics physicians in Illinois is described. The response rate was 42%. Sixty percent of physicians tested visual acuity of children 5 years and older, and half of this group tested children 2 to 4 years old. The most common reasons for not testing visual acuity were inadequate time (42%), children too young (18%), or screening done at school (18%). The majority (88%) refer to an ophthalmologist after a single vision screening failure, while about half perform the cover-uncover test on infants and children. The results suggest many Illinois pediatricians do not perform vision screening of preschool children, though screening does occur at other sites.