Do you refer kids with glasses

[chasinRT]

if they don't pass the vision screen? This is my second year as a school nurse and I have sent refererral letters to parents whose kids don't pass, even if they wear glasses. The kids are usually unsure how long it's been since they got new ones, and I figure that if they didn't pass the screen they might need a change in their prescription. Today I was reading the instructions for the state school health report, and in the instructions it refers to kids who didn't pass but weren't referred (for example, "students who you intend to rescreen or students with glassses"). Just wondering what you do.

[JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN]

I also don't get time to rescreen if a student forget his/her glasses. I do make a note to double check they bring in said glasses to wear as prescribed and follow up with a phone call if a teacher tells me the student is having trouble seeing the board and it is merely because they are not wearing glasses they already have.

I do refer out student who fail while wearing glasses. I ask the student/check my paperwork for last time I have records of them being screened. Usually they need an adjustment to their prescription. And sometimes they are wearing old glasses because they broke their new glasses. Or have a prescription, but are unable to fill it because of money issues. I work with a lot of lower income students, so if this is the case, I am lucky to have a students in need fund and a way to get a student glasses if they can bring me in a valid prescription. (That can a be a challenge in itself sometimes.)

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

Oh yeah, absolutely - I refer out as well if they fail with their glasses on . . . .

I had one a week ago and it was kind of tricky because her dad is the local optometrist. She was 20/50 with glasses for far and 20/40 for near. She told me she had gotten her glasses last Fall.

Obviously my Titmus machine isn't as thorough as the eye doc's . . . . . and we just screen to refer, not to diagnose. But her dad isn't all that thrilled with me checking his kids.

[100kids, BSN, RN]

I screen them and I do reschedule if they forgot their glasses. I have a lot of kids who fail with their glasses and my note home is a reminder to go get new glasses. but....I am F/T in a small school so I can make this work.