Parents,
The Lions Club has agreed to come to Steller and perform a very sophisticated vision screening for students, faculty and any parent who is interested. ASD has purchased two of the machines that are to be used it is expected that this will become part of the routine ASD screening in the future. I have arranged for the Lions Club volunteers to show up Thursday, March 29th. They will be start screenings soon after 8:30. Please make certain your adolescent has his/her glasses on or contacts in that day. They will not be screened without them.
I would also like a few parent volunteers to go to the classrooms and bring students down to the MPR. I want this to go as rapidly as possible so that students are not out of class longer than necessary.
This screening checks for a multitude of visual problems. It is not quite as advanced as the screening an optometrist does, but very close. It does not screen for distance screening, therefore I will check for distance vision on those students I have not already screened. These are the potential visual problems that Plusoptix looks for:
Anisometropia – difference of the spherical equivalents of both eyes (unequal refractory power)
Astigmatism – blurred vision from irregular or toric curvature of the cornea or the lens
Hyperopia – farsightedness; greater difficulty seeing near objects than distant
Myopia – nearsightedness; greater difficulty seeing distant objects than near objects
Corneal reflexes – problems with asymmetry of the corneal reflexes of both eyes
Anisocoria –difference of the pupil diameters of both eyes
Since a similar screening is going to be routine with ASD and this is not an invasive procedure, no consent form required. A form will be sent home with the results. If a referral is necessary, the problem will be addressed on the form. You are highly encouraged to follow up with an optometrist or ophthalmologist. Recently a student in ASD was found to have a detached retina. If it had not been caught, the child likely would have lost vision in that eye. Please call me at 742-4963 if you have any questions.
Thank you,
Anne
Steller School Nurse