Trained Screeners - In Texas, individuals who screen children for vision problems must be certified through DSHS unless their professional licenses permit such screening.
Certification is provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services and hosted at Region 13.
Training is open to Nurses, health aides, teachers, and volunteers
Certification is good for a period of 5 calendar years.
The continuing education (CE) credits are NOT applicable for nursing credit.
Should your plans change, and you are not able to attend the training please be courteous and cancel your registration. In the event there is a waiting list, this will give those on the list an opportunity to take the training. Thank you for your cooperation.
Vision Screening Program's Goals & Objectives for Screeners:
It is the goal of this program to equip each vision screener with the knowledge and skills necessary to make appropriate referrals for evaluation by a medical professional. To achieve this, vision screeners will be expected to meet the following objectives:
- Recognize signs and symptoms associated with visual problems.
- Select and use materials to create an appropriate screening environment.
- Determine by the age of the child which of the three screening charts should be selected.
- Train the child to respond accurately to indicated target objects (symbols) on the selected chart.
- Pretest to determine whether training for distance acuity screening was effective and chart selection was appropriate to the child's developmental level.
- Demonstrate proper screening and record-keeping procedures for distance acuity, Hirschberg corneal light reflex, and cover and uncover tests.
- Determine the pass/fail, rescreen, and referral status of a child based on established criteria for two age groups.
- Demonstrate knowledge of appropriate follow-up procedures for children who fail the screen.
- Demonstrate knowledge of appropriate procedures for making statistical reports to the Department of State Health Services.
Who can be screened?
It is a state law that all school aged children 4 years old by September are required to have their vision screened.
Vision screening is required for students in:
- kindergarten
- first
- third
- fifth
- seventh graders
- any other first-time entrants (4 years through 12th grade) are required