Mountain Brook Elementary students get vision screening

Have you ever wondered what happens during vision screening at your child’s elementary school? Thanks to screening, several children have the opportunity to learn whether they are having visual difficulties.

I asked Drennan Cooper, PTO chairman for vision screening, what takes place when your child is checked. 

“MBE partners with a local doctor and parents volunteer to check each child to make sure they can read the appropriate line on the eye chart from a distance of 20 feet,” she said. “This year, Dr. Kathleen Gee of the practice Lawaczeck, McKinnon, Feagin, Carter and Gee, P.C. sponsored the screening, and we had 28 PTO parent volunteers.” 

Volunteers work in teams of two to verify a student can read letters (grades 1-6) or symbols (kindergarten) on a chart. If a child misreads the letter or symbol or shows difficulty, the student is sent to Gee in the auditorium for a more thorough follow-up. 

If she thinks the student’s vision is blurred, she sends a note to the school nurse as well as to the parents that it is recommended the child see an eye doctor for further screening.