Pediatric Vision Screening CD Distributed To Thousands of Florida Physicians

Nemours Enterprise
Thursday, October 05, 2006 @ 12:00 AM EDT

The Vision Is Priceless Council and Nemours have collaborated on the creation of an interactive CD, Pediatric Vision Screening, which teaches practical techniques for screening children ages birth to five years. This CD is being distributed at no charge to all pediatricians and family physicians in the state of Florida.

Children's eye conditions may result in blindness, or in the case of retinoblastoma, even death. However, with early detection, many children's eye conditions may be successfully treated. Retinoblastoma, congenital cataracts, amblyopia and strabismus are detectable and treatable. Yet, Florida's children continue to be identified with eye conditions past the optimum age for treatment.

Florida's primary care physicians are best situated to screen and identify those children ages birth to five years in need of a complete eye examination. Effective education regarding the importance of early vision screening, proper methods and timing of screenings will enhance the way infants and preschool children are screened at their doctors' offices.

Vision Is Priceless Council staff and volunteers have partnered with Nemours Children's Clinic, Mayo Clinic-Jacksonville, and the Florida Society of Ophthalmology (FSO) to produce an interactive, training CD-ROM that will change the way infants and preschool children are screened at their doctors' offices. The project will educate pediatricians and family practitioners, as well as appropriate clinical staff, on the importance of early vision screening and teach methods and timings of screenings. Featured screenings include red reflex, external inspection, fixation behavior, corneal light reflex, Bruckner test, cover test and eye charts.

This educational tool has been authored by Robert W. Hered, M.D., Chief-Pediatric Ophthalmology at Nemours Children's Clinic in Jacksonville and Medical Director of VIP's Children's Program. The CD offers opportunities to earn Continuing Medical Education credits and provide program feedback.

The Florida CD is endorsed by the Florida Society of Ophthalmology, the Florida Pediatric Society, and the Florida Academy of Family Physicians. Other supporting organizations include Mayo Clinic, Medtronic Foundation, the American Retina Foundation and PedsEducation.org.

modified: Tuesday, January 08, 2008 @ 04:08 PM EST
created: Tuesday, January 08, 2008 @ 04:08 PM EST

About Nemours

Nemours, one of the nation’s largest pediatric health systems, is dedicated to achieving higher standards in children’s health. Nemours offers an integrated spectrum of clinical treatment coupled with research, advocacy, and educational health and prevention services extending to all families in the communities it serves. Starting with Alfred I. duPont’s bequest over seventy years ago, Nemours has grown into a multi-dimensional organization offering personalized clinical and preventive care focused on children.

Nemours owns and operates the Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware and major children’s specialty clinics in Delaware (Wilmington), Florida (Jacksonville, Orlando and Pensacola), Pennsylvania (Philadelphia and Bryn Mawr) and New Jersey (Atlantic City and Voorhees). Having recently received preliminary approval from the State of Florida, Nemours will establish a new full-service children’s hospital as part of an integrated pediatric health campus in Orlando. KidsHealth.org, the world’s most visited pediatric health care Web site for parents, kids and teens, is a project of Nemours.

Nemours employs over 4,400 individuals, including 430 pediatric physicians, specialists and surgeons who cared for approximately a quarter of a million children in 2007. The organization’s goal is to align with parents, physicians, community leaders, children’s advocates and elected officials to ensure optimal wellness for every child. Additional information about Nemours can be found at www.nemours.org.