The Governing Council of The American Public Health Association, (APHA), recognizing the need for regular comprehensive eye examinations at approximately age 6 months, 2 years, and 4 years, passed a Policy Statement entitled Improving Early Childhood Eyecare, on October 24, 2001.
The Policy Statement's Conclusions state that the APHA:
1. Encourages a regular comprehensive eye examination schedule as opposed to just screening based on the onset of strabismus and amblyopia should be set, so that all children have exams performed at approximately age 6 months, 2 years, and 4 years;
2. Encourages all children’s health insurance programs to provide vision care benefits.
3. Encourages health insurers to educate parents on the value of adhering to the comprehensive eye exam schedule through the use of health care providers, health education and health promotion professionals as an important part of preventive healthcare just as vaccination, physical exam, hearing, and dental exams are;
4. Encourages pediatricians to recommend all children receive exams which have the ability to detect all cases of strabismus, amblyopia, and refractive errors, and refer children at high risk including but not limited to children born prematurely, children with developmental deficits, and children with family histories of strabismus and amblyopia;
5. Requests all children’s health programs require monitoring in their quality assurance programs to insure that young children’s eye and vision needs are met.
