Sacramento CA, February 17, 2004 - A national survey conducted by Vision Service Plan (VSP), the nation's leading eyecare benefits provider, found that nearly seven out of ten children under age six have never had an eye examination. And, of those children who had been checked, only 30 percent had been seen by an eyecare specialist.

The results of this study are based on an online national survey of 1,277 parents, representing 1,846 children, under the age of six, with a plus or minus error of three percent.

"Uncorrected vision problems is a treatable medical issue facing our children today," said Dr. Catherine Amos, VSP Chairman of the Board. "We know that numerous learning and, ultimately, societal problems stem from poor vision, yet too many children are beginning school without undergoing a complete and professional eye exam. Vision exams performed by trained professionals are one of the strongest medical methods available for ensuring the long-term health and well-being of our children, yet parents are often unaware of the importance of taking their children in for regular eye exams."

The study further found that among the third of children who received an exam, just 62 percent were reported to have had their first check by the age of three, while nearly 80 percent of this group had been to the dentist.

"It is alarming that more parents have taken their kids for a dental exam than for an eye exam by the age of six, especially when you consider the types of eye conditions that can lead to permanent problems if not detected early," Dr. Amos added. "By releasing the results of this survey we hope to help parents recognize the value of taking their children to an eyecare specialist for a complete eye exam just as they would see a dentist for their child's dental needs."

Couple these findings with the fact that nearly 20 percent of U.S. children are two or more grade levels behind in reading due to difficulty in eye control and coordination, and it is clear that proper vision care is an important issue that must be addressed for our nation's youth.

"In our opinion, in addition to their normal pediatric checkups, we recommend parents take their child to an eyecare specialist by the age of six months, at age three and five," said Roger J. Valine, CEO of VSP.

In order for parents to further understand and help address the issue of the lack of early childhood eye exams, VSP sponsors a national campaign called "Get Focused." "Get Focused" is designed to educate Americans on the importance of regular eyecare. Over the course of 2003, the program provided vision assessments for nearly 1,000 students across the country, of which 25 percent needed some sort of follow-up care from a vision provider.

The American Optometric Association recommends that at about age six months, parents should take their child to an eyecare specialist for his or her first thorough eye examination. The eyecare professional tests for excessive or unequal amounts of nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism and eye movement ability as well as eye health problems. These problems are not common, but it is important to identify them in early stages. Vision development and eye health problems can be more easily corrected if treatment is begun early.

"We know from our experience that when a child undergoes an eye exam, we can then start the process to help correct any vision problems before they become too advanced. When nearly one in four children needs follow-up care, it is clear that too many youngsters are not seeing the world clearly. This impacts their studies, their well being and their ability to succeed in life," Valine added. "Unfortunately, most vision problems are hard to detect, so parents don't know to take their child for an eye exam. Children often don't realize they have a vision problem because they assume others see the world as they do."

"While parents need to be aware of what is happening with their children, and need to be vigilant about their eye health, there is no replacing an examination done by an eyecare professional. That said, there are seven simple things parents should be aware of," said Dr. Amos.

1. Eye turn-easily apparent, the child's eye turns either in or out, independent of the movement of the other eye;
   
   
2. Inability of eyes to "track" or follow objects-the child tries to follow an object with his or her eyes but simply cannot;
   
   
3. Gross and fine motor delays-onset of developmental motor milestones lagging behind chronological age;
   
   
4. Family history of vision/eye disorders;
   
   
5. Excessive blinking and/or watering;
   
   
6. Squinting eyes to see distant objects;
   
   
7. Headaches.

"All items on the list are warning signs. Certain actions, like a child rubbing his or her eyes, squinting or not performing well in school, are good examples of why a parent should have their child's eyes examined, but unfortunately these are usually signs for a school-age child. Infants and preschoolers may not exhibit any of these signs," Dr. Amos said.

"A comprehensive eye exam is the only way to be certain with children under age six. So that is why we're getting the message out to parents not to wait until their child shows indications of potential eye problems or starts school to receive a comprehensive eye exam, but to take them to an eyecare specialist early in life."

About VSP
VSP provides a variety of flexible eyecare benefit plans. With nearly 38 million members, one in eight people in the United States relies on VSP for eyecare health coverage. VSP's Sight for Students program has helped more than 215,000 low-income/uninsured children receive free eyecare services since its inception in 1997. For more information, visit us online at www.vsp.com.

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