Aug 25 2009
PediaVision, a company dedicated to solving the critical problem of undiagnosed vision problems affecting thousands of children, today announced a breakthrough in the use of the PediaVision Assessment Solution for autistic children.
John Facciani, MD, a pediatric ophthalmologist at Virginia's Vistar Eye Center, explains, "Before PediaVision, it was difficult at best to conduct an eye exam on some children with autism because of both the inability to communicate what they are able to see and an unwillingness to let the examiner close enough for a good exam. Without any useful information to go by, an exam under general anesthesia would be required. Now that we have the PediaVision Assessment Solution (PAS), which enables us to conduct a vision screening within seconds from three feet away from the patient, we can better accommodate children with autism," he said. "PediaVision has made a tremendous difference in my practice -- because it is perfect for very young children (as young as six months old) -- and now we've found it to be successful on children with autism," he added.
"Often children with autism have to be sedated in order to go into a doctor's office to have an eye exam -- they don't like being touched and they don't like having their personal space invaded," said Debbie McKinney, mother of Christopher, age 5, who is autistic. "The fact that this device can screen children's vision from three feet away, makes all the difference. Overall this was one of the most pleasant exam experiences since our son was diagnosed with autism," she added.
"With the odds of one in 150 children having autism in this country alone,* the PediaVision device is a must-have for Pediatric Ophthalmologists and Pediatricians everywhere," Dr. Facciani added.
The only binocular vision screening device that produces highly accurate, immediate results, the PediaVision Assessment Solution (PAS) is effective for screening children of any age, especially pre-verbal children. The software produces written results and a recommendation as to whether or not a subject should be referred to an eye care specialist. Conducted from three feet away, the screening is as simple and non-invasive as taking a picture of the child.
PediaVision's CEO David Melnik said, "Approximately 95 percent of vision issues in children -- if caught early -- can be corrected, providing them a better quality of life."
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the most prevalent disabling childhood conditions in the U.S. are vision disorders including amblyopia, strabismus, and significant refractive errors. Unless it is successfully treated in early childhood, amblyopia usually persists into adulthood, and is the most common cause of permanent one-eye vision impairment among children.
In addition, the CDC indicates (http://www.cdc.gov/DIABETES/pubs/pdf/vision.pdf) that children with impaired vision may have greater difficulty learning, have trouble participating in organized sports and recreational activities, have limited employment options, may have increased morbidity or mortality due to accidents, and have difficulty with psychosocial development.
Melnik added, "We encourage parents to ask their Pediatrician to screen for vision at all of their child's well check-ups, and to get the latest vision screening technology to help them get an accurate, objective screening."
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