Information contained on this page is provided by companies via
press release distributed through PR Newswire, an independent third-party content provider. PR
Newswire, WorldNow and this Station make no warranties or representations in connection
therewith.
SOURCE American Optometric Association
WASHINGTON, April 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- With about one-in-four school-aged
children suffering from an undetected or untreated vision problem, the American
Optometric Association (AOA), with support from HOYA Vision Care, gathered together
doctors, nurses, educators and other children's health advocates for the
first-ever School Readiness Summit: Focus on Vision.
The two-day session, convened by the AOA in Washington, D.C., examined alarmingly high-rates of
learning-related vision issues now plaguing America's children
and produced a bold healthy vision and learning blueprint to replace a
broken system that is leaving millions of children to endure the effects
of diseases that are treatable and vision loss that is preventable.
Responding to President Obama's call to ensure that no child is left
behind in the classroom due to an undetected or untreated eye or vision disorder, the summit's
interdisciplinary workgroup recognized the established link between healthy vision and
classroom learning.
The workgroup also produced a joint statement backing "comprehensive
eye exams for school-aged children as a foundation for a coordinated and improved approach to
addressing children's vision and eye health issues and as a key element of ensuring school
readiness in American children."
"Thanks to the School Readiness Summit, we're an important step
closer to eliminating undiagnosed and untreated vision problems from America's schools,"
said AOA president-elect Dori Carlson, O.D. "As a mom, family
eye doctor and the incoming president of AOA, I'm proud of this gathering and its determination
to lead the way toward doing more to ensure that our children reach their full potential,
including recognizing the urgent need for regular comprehensive eye exams," Dr. Carlson
added.
Studies show that much of what children learn comes through vision,
and undetected and untreated eye and vision disorders in children, such as amblyopia and
strabismus, can result in vision loss, additional costly treatments, delayed reading and poorer
outcomes in school. In fact, a number of studies even indicate that visual factors are better
predictors of academic success than race or socio-economic status.
"Too many American children still go through years of
school before a learning-related vision problem is ultimately detected; typically after many
other more costly interventions," said Dr. Carlson.
"Knowing what is at stake for our kids, I am grateful to HOYA and
all of the participating organizations as well as the nearly 50 doctors, nurses,
public officials and children's health advocates who joined with AOA to make our School
Readiness Summit the success that it needed to be," Dr. Carlson added.
Summit organizers also welcomed participation by the U.S. Department
of Education, knowing that educators are also on the frontlines of child wellness and
development.
A 2010 survey of teachers by the AOA found that 81 percent believe
vision and learning are interdependent. The survey also found 64 percent of teachers witnessed
a direct improvement in a child's academic performance and/or classroom behavior after an eye
or vision problem was diagnosed and treated.
"We know if we are to improve school success, we must make sure
children can see," said Dr. Alexa Posny, assistant secretary of
the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services at the U.S. Department of Education
and keynote speaker at the summit. "If America is to produce world class students, we must make
sure they have all the tools they need for success. Eye exams should be a part of efforts to
improve America's educational outcomes," Dr. Posny added.
"The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) is proud to join with the
American Optometric Association and other groups in a commitment to ensure that America's
schoolchildren have access to diagnosis and treatment for vision problems," said
Randi Weingarten, president of the AFT. "A
tremendous amount of learning happens visually, so proper vision care is crucial to
helping students reach their full potential."
While some school-aged children may receive a vision screening
intended to help identify potential problems, a vast majority of children's vision screenings
have high rates of false negatives, failing to adequately detect signs of significant vision
problems in children chronically burdened by these difficulties.
Instead, healthy vision experts believe that comprehensive eye exams
are necessary to detect problems that a simple vision screening can miss, such as eye
coordination, near or farsightedness and astigmatism. Comprehensive eye exams can also detect
conditions such as lazy eye or color blindness.
The School Readiness Summit joint principles statement was signed
by:
American Association of Diabetes Educators
American Federation of Teachers
American Optometric Association
American Public Health Association
Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry
Council for Exceptional Children
Foundation for Eye Health Awareness
HOYA Vision Care
National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners
National Association of School Nurses
National Commission on Vision and Health
National Education Association's Health Information Network
National Head Start Association
National Rural Health Association
Prevent Blindness America
Vision Council
"This is the first time we've seen such a broad and comprehensive
group of educators and health care providers agree that the lack of eye exams for children is a
problem and that we need to finally move toward fixing it," said Barry
Barresi, O.D., Ph.D., executive director of the AOA.
"I'm hopeful that we are finally moving away from a failed and broken
system and toward an era where every child begins school with all of the tools – including
healthy eyes and vision – needed to succeed in school and later in life," said Dr.
Barresi.
About the 2011 School Readiness Summit:
The summit is organized by the American Optometric Association and
HOYA Vision Care North America and is intended to develop a broad coalition to improve the
readiness and success of children in school. Modeled after the White House Conference on Aging
and similar national policy meetings, the Summit focuses largely on
examining learning-related vision issues plaguing America's children and to
produce an eye health and learning blueprint to replace a broken children's
vision system.
The planning committee for the summit consists of the AOA,
Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, National Association of Pediatric Nurse
Practitioners, the Vision Council, National Commission on Vision and Health, U.S. Department of
Education, National Association of School Nurses, American Speech Language and Hearing
Association, and the National Head Start Association.
About the American Optometric Association
(AOA):
The American Optometric Association represents approximately 36,000
doctors of optometry, optometry students and paraoptometric assistants and technicians.
Optometrists serve patients in nearly 6,500 communities across the country, and in 3,500 of
those communities are the only eye doctors. Doctors of optometry provide two-thirds of all
primary eye care in the United States.
American Optometric Association doctors of optometry are highly
qualified, trained doctors on the frontline of eye and vision care who examine, diagnose, treat
and manage diseases and disorders of the eye. In addition to providing eye and vision care,
optometrists play a major role in a patient's overall health and well-being by detecting
systemic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.
Prior to optometry school, optometrists typically complete four
years of undergraduate study, culminating in a bachelor's degree. Required undergraduate
coursework for pre-optometry students is extensive and covers a wide variety of advanced
health, science and mathematics. Optometry school consists of four years of post-graduate,
doctoral study concentrating on both the eye and systemic health. In addition to their formal
training, doctors of optometry must undergo annual continuing education to stay current on the
latest standards of care. For more information, visit www.aoa.org.
©2011 PR Newswire. All Rights
Reserved.
