Preschooler vision screening starts this month

Parents and carers throughout the New England and North West are being encouraged to take advantage of the Statewide Eyesight Preschooler Screening (StEPS) program.

StEPS is an initiative of NSW Health and offers all four-year-old children free vision screening.

Inverell-based vision screener Monique Wynter will be visiting preschools and child care centres throughout the region from early April onwards, to offer all four-year-olds a free vision screening. Screening will occur in Inverell, Tenterfield, Glen Innes, Moree and surrounding centres.

To have your child's vision screened you will need to complete a consent form and return it to your child's preschool/childcare centre.

“As children's eyes continue to develop until approximately eight years of age it is important to ensure every child's vision develops normally throughout these formative years,” Ms Wynter said.

“Hunter New England Health recommends you have your child’s vision tested fully by an eye professional if you have any concerns about your child’s vision.”

Why would my child need their vision screened?

• Children rarely complain of eye problems
• Children may not realise they can’t see well
• Some children can see well with one eye but have very poor vision in the  other eye
• Children’s eyes may look okay and parents/carers might think that their child can see well but some children might still have a vision problem
• The only way to tell if a child has a vision problem is to have the child’s vision tested one eye at a time

Did you know?

• If a child has a 'lazy eye' it may lead to severe vision loss or blindness in that eye if not treated
• If a child has a vision problem, the earlier the problem is detected and treated the better the vision outcome
• If parents wear glasses or had vision problems as a child their children are more likely to have vision problems too
• After eight years of age some childhood vision problems cannot be treated and the child will have poor vision for the rest of their life - glasses won't help
• Low birth weight babies and children with neurological problems are at a greater risk of developing eye problems.

Vision screener/community nurse Monique Wynter can be contacted on (02) 6721 9600 for more details about the StEPS program.

(HNE-1811)

Contact: Carisa Green

Phone: (02) 6767 7135 or 0428 106 183