StEPS: Statewide Eyesight Preschooler Screening

The StEPS program (Statewide Eyesight Preschooler Screening) is an initiative of NSW Health and offers all 4-year old children free vision screening.

Did you know?

• If a child has a ‘lazy eye’ it may lead to severe vision loss or blindness in that eye if not treated
• If a child has a vision problem, the earlier the problem is detected and treated the better the vision outcome
• If parents wear glasses or had vision problems as a child their children are more likely to have vision problems too
• After eight years of age some childhood vision problems cannot be treated and the child will have poor vision for the rest of their life – glasses won’t help
• Low birth weight babies and children with neurological problems are at a greater risk of developing eye problems

Why would my child need their vision screened?

• Children rarely complain of eye problems
• Children may not realise they can’t see well
• Some children can see well with one eye but have very poor vision in the other eye
• Children’s eyes may look OK and parents/carers might think that their child can see well but some children might still have a vision problem
• The only way to tell if a child has a vision problem is to have the child’s vision tested one eye at a time.

Check out the NSW Health STePS Website to find out more information on how your child can access this program

http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/initiatives/steps/index.asp