New eye screening legislation expected to have little impact in Nevada

By Steve Moyer

Nevada Daily Mail

A recent bill, SB16, signed into law by Governor Matt Blunt mandates vision examinations for kindergartners beginning school for the first time, beginning in the 2008-'09 school year, as well as providing for screenings in the first and third grades.

Nevada R-5 Superintendent Craig Noah said the new law doesn't significantly alter what the district is already doing.

"We screen the students now as part of our curriculum for health and wellness," Noah said.

State Representative Barney Fisher said the law helps to make the practice more uniform around the state.

"A lot of districts around the state already do this but some do not," Fisher said. "This helps to make this universal around Missouri. If we can do anything to head off vision problems in our students we should. We need to catch them quick and get help for them."

The law requires that beginning July 1, 2008, every child enrolling in kindergarten or first grade receive a comprehensive vision exam performed by a state licensed optometrist or physician. In addition the schools must provide screenings for students during the first and third grades. Noah said the screenings would be provided at no cost to students by the schools during the school year as part of the comprehensive school health program. The program is coordinated by Denise Nelson and the five nurses under her direction.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, along with the Department of Health and Senior Services will provide a list of sources of free or reduced cost treatment to schools for parents whose children need further exams or treatment.

Dr. Delton Fast, a local optometrist, said there is a difference between the screenings done by schools and the examinations done by optometrists.

"The screenings are mostly for clarity of sight and visual acuity," Fast said. "The examinations look for other problems such as amblyopia, also known as lazy eye, and strabisimus."

Strabisimus is a medical term that refers to several conditions called by a variety of names including cross-eye, wall-eye and wandering eye.

Fast said the law wouldn't make a large difference in Nevada because the school district is proactive in providing students with screenings.

"This will benefit kids all over the state," Fast said. "Here in Nevada, it won't have much of an impact. The schools do a really good job of screening kids for problems."

Fast said the law helps improve learning.

"This gives all kids an equal opportunity for learning," Fast said. "Students need to be able to see to learn."

The law has a sunset provision in it that would terminate the provisions in it by June 30, 2012, unless reauthorized by an act of the general assembly every eight years.

The law also establishes a Children's Vision Commission to collect data on the program and submit a report to the general assembly by Dec. 31, 2012. It provides parents who object to their children being included in the eye screening process a way to opt out by requesting, in writing, to the appropriate school administrator.

For those who may not have insurance coverage or don't qualify for some state benefits alrealdy in place, such as Medicaid, the law provides funding up to $99,000 a year from the Blindness Education, Screening and Treatment Program Fund.