Early Childhood Vision Partners
The Wisconsin Head Start Association and Prevent Blindness Wisconsin have a partnership to ensure that all children in Head Start care receive a vision screening within 45 days of enrollment.
We train, certify, and equip Head Start staff to provide vision screenings to Head Start and Early Head Start children. We offer a variety of resources to help Head Start staff screen, communicate with parents, and ensure that referred children get to the eye doctor.
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Additionally, we offer a 30-minute curriculum to Head Start staff called Your Amazing Eyes. This program is based off the Six Skills of Early Literacy; it features three stories, three games, songs, and activities. To schedule a Your Amazing Eyes session email [email protected].
Children's Vision Milestones
High School and University Student Partners
In order to help ensure that future medical professionals are trained and certified to provide Children’s and Adult Vision Screenings, Prevent Blindness Wisconsin provides trainings to students pursuing a career in the medical field!
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We train, certify, and equip university and high school students to provide both children’s and adult vision screenings. Prevent Blindness Wisconsin works with many nursing programs, Student Nursing Associations, Pre-Optometry Clubs, Pre-Med Clubs, Pre-Health Clubs, HOSA Clubs, National Honors Society, and Key Clubs. This 3 year certification can be used on the student’s resume as they apply for further education or seek employment after school. The hands-on training provides students with a meaningful educational experience and a chance to practice their new skills.
Certified students are given the opportunity to practice their new skills through volunteer opportunities with Prevent Blindness Wisconsin or within their academic program.
To set up a training at your school/university email [email protected]
Our High School/University Partners
High School:
Racine Unified School District
Marshall High School
Kettle Moraine High School
Elkhorn High School
Germantown High School
University:
Bellin College
Cardinal Stritch University
Carroll University
Concordia University
Edgewood College
Fox Valley Technical College
Marian University
Marquette University
Medical College of Wisconsin
MSOE
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College-Green Bay
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College-Marinette
University of Wisconsin Eau Claire
University of Wisconsin Madison
University of Wisconsin Milwaukee
University of Wisconsin Green Bay
University of Wisconsin Parkside
Pediatrician Partners
Vision screenings are not required at a child’s school, so a proper vision screening at the pediatrician’s office is crucial for identifying vision problems early to help children see, learn, and play. To help ensure children are seeing clearly, Prevent Blindness Wisconsin offers Certified Children’s Vision Screener Trainings to pediatric office staff throughout Wisconsin.
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The one-hour long training covers protocol set by the National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health and is recommended by the Wisconsin Early Childhood Collaborating Partners Healthy Children Committee’s Comprehensive and Aligned System for Early Childhood Screening and Assessment: Wisconsin’s Blueprint. At the training staff members will learn:
- Children’s vision screening components, procedures, and evidence-based protocol.
- The purpose and importance of a vision screening and follow-up care.
- How to recognize signs and symptoms of possible vision problems.
- How to interpret screening results and determine referrals.
- Best practices for vision screening tools and vision screening location – including on-site consultation with Prevent Blindness Wisconsin program staff.
- How to improve access to vision care with parent education, follow-up techniques, and financial resources.
The training can be scheduled before clinic hours, over the lunch hour, or after clinic hours.
Importance of Vision Health in Pediatric Patients
School Nurse and Health Department Partners
We train, certify, and equip School Nurses, Public Health Workers/Nurses, Health Aides, and other Screening staff in Children’s Vision Screening and provide on-going support to ensure that the children in their care are receiving quality vision screenings at school.
Health Department Partners
Wisconsin Lions Foundation
Since 1998, the Wisconsin Lions Foundation and Prevent Blindness Wisconsin have combined forces to help the fight against blindness and to ensure that every Wisconsin resident takes steps towards healthy vision.
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We train, certify, and equip Wisconsin Lions/Lioness to provide free vision screenings to children and adults in their own communities at places such as child care centers, preschools, grade schools, libraries, health fairs, and adult outreach centers. We are so grateful for this partnership enabling us to work together to support healthy vision for children and adults across our state, a mission we are both passionate about!
Prevent Blindness Wisconsin provides training and certification on the use of two instrument-based screening tools: Plusoptix and SPOT Vision Screener. These tools provide a quick and easy scan of the child’s eyes in a matter of seconds. Both of these tools have been approved by the National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness for use on children ages 3-5.
To learn more about our Children’s Vision Programs please contact Courtney Murphy at [email protected] or call (414) 765-0505.