Undiagnosed and untreated vision problems in children can lead to permanent vision loss and learning difficulties, yet 19 states currently require no preventive vision care for school-age children, concludes a report. The report, released by the Alexandria, Va.-based Vision Council of America, takes a close look at state and federal efforts to prevent vision problems in children.
The report also found that 29 of the 31 states that do require a vision screening do not mandate a follow-up eye exam for children who fail the screening. Only one state—Kentucky—requires all children to receive an eye examination by an eye doctor before entering elementary school, according to the report.