Even more troubling was that Francisco was also having difficulty learning to read. Both Francisco and his parents were unaware that the root of his problems was poor vision – Francisco was at risk for “lazy eye,” one of the most common childhood vision problems.

In children with normal vision, both eyes are used equally. However, in children who have “lazy eye,” or amblyopia, one eye is not used enough for the visual system in the brain to develop properly. The brain ignores the images from the weak eye and uses only those from the stronger eye, which leads to poor vision.

Unless amblyopia is successfully treated in early childhood, it usually persists into adulthood. In fact, it is the most common cause of single-eye visual impairment among children and young to middle-aged adults. The condition affects approximately two to three out of every 100 children. However, 72 percent of children with the disorder go undetected until after the treatment window expires.

Fortunately, Francisco’s school nurse screened his entire kindergarten class for hearing and vision problems. In less than 10 seconds using a hand-held vision screening device, the nurse diagnosed Francisco with astigmatism, a precursor to amblyopia. This problem would not have shown up using traditional vision screening tests. Photoscreening like Francisco had works by using a camera that photographs the eyes and produces the "red eye" phenomenon that often happens with photographs. The physician or nurse then studies the appearance of the "red eye" which tells the state of the refractive error in the patient's eyes.

Thanks to this diagnostic technology, Francisco was referred to an optometrist and prescribed glasses – potentially saving his sight. The glasses helped keep him from developing “lazy eye,” which is associated with refractive error, or the need for glasses, in two-thirds of cases.

The impact of Francisco’s new glasses was immediately noticeable. Prior to getting his glasses, Francisco only scored a 48 percent on an achievement test at school. After he got his eyeglasses, his teacher decided to repeat the test and Francisco scored a 95 percent. Francisco and his teacher were unaware how much his vision problems were affecting his academic performance. Now, Francisco is not only showing dramatic improvement in school, he is also enjoying it more and is increasingly engaged in the classroom.

Francisco’s father is adamant other parents know about this technology. He said, “It’s important for people to know that other kids, like my son, should get the help they need. We need to help kids see well.”

Vision disorders are one of the most prevalent childhood developmental issues. But current vision testing methods, such as eye charts and photoscreeners, can be difficult to perform on young children.

Pediatricians and family physicians typically use eye charts to screen for the presence of certain risk factors. However, studies have shown that only 25 percent of three-year-olds and 50 percent of four-year-olds can successfully complete this type of test. In addition, performing this test on pre-school children can take an average of five minutes or more due to their inability to stay on task and the need to continually coax appropriate responses.

In contrast, automatic vision screeners are simple to use and are reliable diagnostic tools. The portable units require little time to learn, and nurses, technicians and other trained personnel can administer tests both in the office and in remote, off-site settings.

Francisco is an active student and loves his new glasses. “I can see the chalkboard clearly, and I love school now,” he said.