Screening: Visual Impairment in Children Younger than Age 5 Years

Screening for Visual Impairment in Children Younger than Age 5 Years

Release Date: May 2004

The USPSTF recommends screening to detect amblyopia, strabismus, and defects in visual acuity in children younger than age 5 years.
Rating: B Recommendation.

Rationale: The USPSTF found no direct evidence that screening for visual impairment in children leads to improved visual acuity. However, the USPSTF found fair evidence that screening tests have reasonable accuracy in identifying strabismus, amblyopia, and refractive error in children with these conditions; that more intensive screening compared with usual screening leads to improved visual acuity; and that treatment of strabismus and amblyopia can improve visual acuity and reduce long-term amblyopia. The USPSTF found no evidence of harms for screening, judged the potential for harms to be small, and concluded that the benefits of screening are likely to outweigh any potential harms.

Screening for Visual Impairment in Children Younger than Age 5 Years, May 2004
Recommendation Statement
Update of the Evidence
Systematic Evidence Review (File Download, 116 KB(PDF Files Download, 662 KB)
What's New (PDF File, 256 KB)