Drive to Improve Vision Care for Children

The National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness (NCCVEH), and the National Institute for Children’s Health Quality (NICHQ) are calling on health professionals, eye care professionals, and others to apply for a vision-health collaborative,  named “Improving Children’s Vision: Systems, Stakeholders & Support.”

Its mission: Increase by 20 percent over 2011-2012 levels (according to the National Survey of Children’s Health measure) the proportion of children five and younger who receive vision screenings in five selected states by 2018. At that time, NCCVEH should have a comprehensive approach that reduces vision problems of children in hard-to-reach areas.

All teams interested in participating must submit applications via an online portal by April 25, 2016 at 5 p.m. ET. Applications will be selected and parties notified by May 23, 2016.

Working to Reduce Visual Impairment in Children Under Five

NICHQ and the National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness (NCCVEH) are working on a project to increase the diagnosis of visual impairment in children ages 0-5. The three-year Maternal and Child Health Bureau-funded project, called “Breakthrough Series Improvement Program on Early Detection of Vision Problems in Young Children,” will support the development of comprehensive and coordinated approaches to children’s vision and eye health in five states. The project will employ quality improvement (QI) principles and practices to implement systems-level changes. The program plans to accomplish the following: 

• Strengthen statewide partnerships and coordination among key stakeholders in children’s vision and eye health
• Increase access to and utilization of vision health services in hard to reach communities
• Increase early detection and treatment of vision problems
• Establish state-level surveillance approaches
• Implement vision health system measures of accountability.

Read more.

Study to Look a Reduction of Visual Impairment

Prevent Blindness and the National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness will co-sponsor, along with other organizations, an Institute of Medicine (IOM) study entitled “Public Health Approaches to Reduce Vision Impairment and Promote Eye Health.” According to the IOM, a committee of experts across multiple disciplines will produce a consensus study to examine the core principles and public health strategies to reduce visual impairment and promote eye health in the United States. The final report is anticipated to be released in 2016. Read more.