The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH), School Health Unit, released new vision screening protocols to be implemented beginning September, 1, 2022. The new protocols reflect 12+ months of collaborative work with MDPH by members of Children’s Vision Massachusetts (Co-Chairs Jean Ramsey MD, Bruce Moore OD and Paulette Tattersall, and CVMA member Shanyn Toulouse, MEd, BSN, RN, NCSN, Northeast Regional School Nurse Consultant), and P. Kay Nottingham Chaplin EdD of the National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness. Director of School Health Services, MDPH, Karen Robitaille, MBA, MSN, RN, NCSN added “I am very proud of this work. The protocol represents the most up to date, evidence-based, techniques and is a standard bearer for the rest of the country. Over time, vision screening will be much more efficient and much less costly.”
The new DPH vision screening protocols includes only evidence-based options with proven methodology, and streamlines for best detection of vision conditions for children throughout childhood, while also closely aligning with the 2015 joint vision screening guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, American Academy of Ophthalmology, and American Association of Certified Orthoptists.
Webinar training to support school nurse implementation of the protocols in 2022 has also been recorded by the group.