Is the early detection of serious eye defects in the period of vision development a sci-fi fantasy or a real prospect for the creation of nationwide vision screening in the Czech Republic?

Summary

The first 3 years of a child‘s life, especially the first 12 months of life, are the most critical period for vision development. During this period, the child‘s health care is coordinated by a pediatrician or a general practitioner for children and adolescents, and it is up to them to provide the screening test that is now available. The vision screening uses a vision screener based on the principle of eccentric photorefraction with automatic evaluation of the results. The first examination should be performed between the 6th and 12th months (optimally between the 10th and 12th months of age) with a control examination after 6 months, i.e. usually by the 18th month of the child‘s age. If the result of this test is positive, the child is sent for an examination of visual acuity to an orthoptist or vision therapist and then to an ophthalmologist. The screennig test is carried out twice in a lifetime in the case of a negative family history. If there is a positive family history of serious eye defects (amblyopia, strabismus, hypermetropia, myopia, astigmatism and other congenital eye defects), the test is repeated in the 2nd and 3rd year of age, maximaly 4 times in a lifetime. This recommendation covers all critical periods of a child‘s vision development and follows the childcare system in the Czech Republic. The goal of the concept of early detection of serious eye defects is to have the possibility of correcting pathological dioptric values ​​during this period and thus preventing impaired development of vision and binocular functions. The time lost due to a late or incomplete diagnosis and ineffective treatment plan is critical to the development of vision. The launch of nationwide vision screening in the Czech Republic is planned as early as in the next year (2025).

Keywords:

prevention – screening of vision – eccentric photorefraction – correction of pathological diop-tric values – refractive errors in children – critical period of vision development