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Vision Screening Test

The following vision screening test can be done at home on your computer screen.  Our instructions listed here are very conservative and if your child fails the vision screening test at the 20/40 level there is a very high likelihood that your child has a vision problem.  However, it is very important to closely follow our instructions listed below.

Follow these instructions:

1.    Click-on Instructions (Word document) and print-out our one page of instructions .  The instructions are also listed at the bottom of this web page.  Read the instructions very carefully and gather the necessary items needed to correctly perform the vision screening test.

2.    Click-on GO TO Vision Screening test.  This link will open another window on your computer at the website at the University of Buffalo - State University of New York and the vision screening test.

3.    With our printed instructions in your hands, closely follow our printed instructions to perform the test on your child.  DO NOT follow the directions as listed on the website.

4.    If your child does not pass the vision screening test, please take her/him to see an eye doctor.

5.    Please provide feedback about the vision screening test in the box below.  We appreciate your feedback and comments.

6.    Please note that a screening vision test does not take the place of a full, dilated eye exam by an Ophthalmologist or Optometrist.  Vision screening tests are very limited and will not uncover many eye problems.  Children should have a comprehensive eye exam within the first year of life, around age 3 years and before entering school...healthy eyes make healthy students.

Instructions for performing vision screening test:

Print this page of detailed instructions for taking the vision screening test.

Closely follow the instructions.  The vision screening test is good for children from 4 – 6 years of age.  For children 7 years and older, use the 20/30 line instead of the 20/40 line as described below.

You will need the following:  (1) good centimeter ruler, (2) tape measure for measuring 10 feet, (3) piece of tape for labeling the 10 foot distance from the computer screen to where the child is standing or sitting, and (4) make sure that your child knows the letters H, O, T, and V.

1. Go to the website at: http://www.smbs.buffalo.edu/oph/ped/IVAC/IVAC.html
2. In the upper left corner, under Calibration, take a good ruler and measure the horizontal line in centimeters down to 1/10^th of a centimeter; for example, on one computer screen I measured the calibration bar as 2.6 cm and on another computer screen the calibration bar measured 3.3 cm.  Under length of line enter the size of the calibration bar (very important step).
3. Click-on “cm”.
4. Enter 10 in the Distance from Monitor box and click-on “feet.”  The 10 feet measure is from the computer screen to your child’s eyes.
5. Under Chart type, click-on H,O,T,V.
6. Under Viewing Preference, click-on Row.  DO NOT click-on “Single.”
7. Under Navigation, click on “Display.”
8. Under Navigation, click-on Smaller until the 20/40 line appears on the right side.
9. With a tape measure, measure 10 feet from the computer monitor and place tape on the floor where your child should stand.
10. To test your child, have him/her stand 10 feet from the computer monitor.
11. Cover one eye with the palm of your hand and have your child read each letter on the line.
12. If she/he can identify all four (4) letters correctly, change eyes.  If the child cannot read all four (4) letters correctly, she/he has failed the test and needs to see an eye doctor.  Make sure that the child is not peeking or trying to use the covered eye to pass the test.  If the child turns her/his head, she/he may be trying to use the covered eye for taking the test and this is a sign that the child needs to see an eye doctor.
13. Under Navigation, click-on “Display” and another sent of HOTV letters should appear.
14. Make sure the letter size, 20/40 is still present.  If not, under Navigation click-on Larger or Smaller until the 20/40 line appears.
15. Have the child read the letters on the line with the other eye.
16. If she/he correctly identifies all four (4) letters, she/he has passed the vision screening test.
17. If the child cannot identify all four (4) letters on the 20/40 line, she/he has failed the vision screening test and needs to see an Eye Doctor.
18. A vision screening test does not take the place of a full, dilated eye exam by an Ophthalmologist or Optometrist.  Vision screening tests are very limited and will not discover many eye problems.  Children should have a comprehensive eye exam by an eye doctor within the first year of life, around age 3 years and before entering school...healthy eyes make healthy students.

This web site is funded by The Ohio Department of Health, Bureau of Child and Family Health Services, Save Our Sight Program.