2008 Woodie Awards
Guest Opinion: As plain as the nose on your face: Iowa kids need vision screening
Issue date: 5/14/08 Section: Opinions
When I was a young boy, I was diagnosed with amblyopia, or "lazy eye." I was fortunate that my vision problem was detected early on, and I was able to begin treatment. Thankfully, an eye doctor was able to save my vision. Most recently, I learned that my 5-year-old niece was also diagnosed with amblyopia. Once again, I was reminded how fortunate she was to have her condition caught early on. That's why I was excited to sponsor a bill that would help protect the vision of Iowa's children.
According to Prevent Blindness Iowa, one in four preschool children has a vision problem, and 80 percent of all learning occurs visually. If undetected, these problems can affect performance in the classroom. These statistics build a strong case for why it is essential that all kids have good vision are given the opportunity to be successful in school.
Our nation's health-care system is in crisis, and Iowa is no exception. Precious public health-care funds are disappearing quickly, and more and more citizens find health insurance out of reach. All agree that prevention efforts are necessary to keep us healthy and ensure not only a longer life, but one with higher quality. Unfortunately in Iowa, vision-loss prevention and vision screenings are required only for students who are referred to special-education classes.
The bill I included in final week of the 2008 legislative session in the Standings Bill sought to expand that policy to include all children. The vision-screening legislation I sponsored has been adopted in 37 other states; it mandates that all children upon entry to, or within 30 days of entry to, kindergarten, grades one, three, six, and eight, and all transfer students receive a comprehensive vision screening by a certified vision screener. For those kids with a failed vision screening, the state would require students to have a full eye exam from a licensed optometrist, ophthalmologist, or physician trained in the provisions of comprehensive eye care.
According to Prevent Blindness Iowa, one in four preschool children has a vision problem, and 80 percent of all learning occurs visually. If undetected, these problems can affect performance in the classroom. These statistics build a strong case for why it is essential that all kids have good vision are given the opportunity to be successful in school.
Our nation's health-care system is in crisis, and Iowa is no exception. Precious public health-care funds are disappearing quickly, and more and more citizens find health insurance out of reach. All agree that prevention efforts are necessary to keep us healthy and ensure not only a longer life, but one with higher quality. Unfortunately in Iowa, vision-loss prevention and vision screenings are required only for students who are referred to special-education classes.
The bill I included in final week of the 2008 legislative session in the Standings Bill sought to expand that policy to include all children. The vision-screening legislation I sponsored has been adopted in 37 other states; it mandates that all children upon entry to, or within 30 days of entry to, kindergarten, grades one, three, six, and eight, and all transfer students receive a comprehensive vision screening by a certified vision screener. For those kids with a failed vision screening, the state would require students to have a full eye exam from a licensed optometrist, ophthalmologist, or physician trained in the provisions of comprehensive eye care.
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theresa
posted 5/14/08 @ 6:56 PM CST
"But we simply can't afford it, and it's not justified when only one in four kids has a vision problem."
1 out of 4 isn't enough?...all I have to say is WOW!
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