The goal of vision screening in 3 to 5 year olds is to detect which of the following?

• A. Detect color vision defects only
• B. Detect refractive errors requiring contact lenses
• C. Detect amblyopia or its risk factors
• D. Detect glaucoma in children

Answer: (C)

The main idea is to screen preschoolers to find amblyopia or factors that could lead to it, so treatment can start before the visual system matures. Amblyopia is a reduction in vision that results from abnormal visual development early in life; if caught early, it can often be reversed or minimized with appropriate treatment, such as correct glasses to fix refractive errors, patching the better-seeing eye, or, in some cases, surgical alignment of the eyes. Screening at ages 3 to 5 targets this outcome because preventing or reducing amblyopia during the critical early years provides the best chance for normal vision development.

Color vision defects and glaucoma in children are not the primary targets of routine preschool vision screening. Color vision issues are usually identified later and aren’t the preventable, vision-threatening problem screening programs aim to catch in this age range. Refractive errors that would require contact lenses are less relevant to a quick screening test, and most preschool screens are designed to flag whether there is a risk of amblyopia or a high-risk refractive error so a comprehensive exam can be done.