The Prevent Blindness Adult Vision Screening Certification Course provides participants with a three-year, nationally recognized certificate based on current national guidelines and best practices for evidence-based vision screening tools and procedures.
This program is currently offered in Ohio and Wisconsin.
How You Can Make an Impact by Becoming a Certified Adult Vision Screener
Attention to vision health is critical at all stages of life – but one of the most critical stages occurs as we age into older adults. Healthy vision allows older adults to maintain independence and enjoy a high quality of life.
Our eyes undergo many changes that can impact their function and our ability to see clearly. Changes in vision as we age can lead to differentiating between colors, a decrease in visual field (or loss of side vision), difficulty focusing on nearby objects, dry eye, and adjusting to glare when entering dark rooms from outdoors. These changes in visual function can be further impaired by vision diseases such as macular degeneration, cataract, glaucoma, and diabetes-related eye disease if not identified and effectively treated in a timely manner.
Early detection and treatment of vision diseases is one of the most important ways that permanent vision loss and blindness can be prevented. A certified adult vision screener plays the important role of identifying possible vision problems, educating individuals about eye diseases, and helping people connect to eye care services. As a certified adult vision screener, you can help find the half of all blindness that can be prevented through early detection and treatment.
Why Should You Take This Course?
Training and certification helps to ensure:
- Clients receive evidence-based, standardized vision screening and follow-up procedures when they do not pass vision screenings.
- All screeners screen consistently by using evidence-based tools and best-practice procedures developed and approved by national groups and professional organizations, including the Scientific Advisory Committee at Prevent Blindness.
Who Should Take the Course?
The Prevent Blindness Adult Vision Screening Certification Course is appropriate for professionals in corporate and occupational wellness programs, professionals in the aging network, public health, and primary and community healthcare settings.
Course content will meet the vision screening needs, for example, of the following individuals:
- Public Health Nurses
- Professionals/Volunteers serving the aging network
- Corporate Wellness Providers
- Primary Healthcare Providers
- Advanced Practice Nurses
- Family Nurse Practitioners
- Physician Assistants
- Medical Assistants
- Community Volunteers
- Allied Health Professionals including occupational therapists, diabetes educators, care coordinators
- Vocational Rehabilitation professionals
- Health Educators
- Safety Specialists
- Others providing wellness care to adults
Prevent Blindness offers certification in Adult Vision Screening through a 3-4 hour, in-person or virtual classes arranged by the Prevent Blindness affiliates listed below or by special request of interested groups.
Prevent Blindness affiliates offering adult vision screening training and certification are:
Learning Objectives:
- Describe common age-related eye diseases
- Explain the purpose of adult vision screening
- Describe and conduct components of adult vision screening including the risk assessment, distance and near visual acuity tests, and follow-up
- Interpret screening results and determine referrals
- Answer most frequently asked questions
- Explain the importance of follow-up
You Will Receive:
- Educational resources and materials
- Access to vision screening charts and risk assessments forms
- Information about financial assistance programs that provide eye exams and/or glasses for those without insurance and the ability to pay
- Adult Vision Screening Certification by Prevent Blindness
What is Certification, and How Long is it Valid?
Successful completion of the course will result in a three-year nationally recognized certification in Adult Vision Screening provided by Prevent Blindness. Prevent Blindness is the only organization to offer a national training and certification program in adult vision screening and screening program implementation.
Recertification for Adult Vision Screeners
The Prevent Blindness Adult Vision Screening certification program requires that vision screeners trained and certified by Prevent Blindness must re-certify after a period of three years from the date of their initial training and certification.
How Our Adult Vision Screening Training is Developed
All Prevent Blindness screening programs are based on: medically accepted and scientifically tested screening techniques and technologies; available scientific evidence; standardized training, testing and reporting; and continual program evaluation.
To ensure our vision screening program is well designed, Prevent Blindness engages the guidance of its Scientific Advisory Committee composed of leading experts in vision research and vision care from across the country.
