Illinois Department of Public Health:

Vision Screening Guidelines

Students

The State of Illinois requires annual vision screening be provided for the following students:

• All preschool children ages 3 and up
• All children in kindergarten
• All children in second grade
• All children in eight grade
• All children in special education classes
• All transfer students
• All children specifically referred by a teacher or faculty member

• Annual vision screening is recommended (but not required) for children in grades 4, 6, 10 and 12

• Children with signed reports indicating that they have received an eye examination in the past 12 months from a licensed medical doctor specializing in diseases of the eye, or a licensed optometrist may be exempt from such requirements.

Vision Assessments

The State of Illinois requires that the students listed above be provided annual vision screening which measures and assesses the following:

• Visual Acuity

Visual acuity is the general term for clarity of vision, including the sharpness of retinal focus within the eye, health and functioning of the retina, and sensitivity of the interpretive faculty of the brain.

• Hyperopia

Hyperopia is the medical term for farsightedness, a vision condition in which distant objects are seen clearly while closer objects do not come into proper focus.

• Muscle Balance

Muscle imbalance of the eyes causes vertical and horizontal misalignment, which does not allow for each eye to properly focus on one object. Such misalignment sends conflicting images from each eye to the brain, which may lead to many different vision complications.

For more information on Illinois’ vision screening requirements and guidelines, visit the Illinois Department of Public Health’s Vision and Hearing page.

Learn More

About Precision Vision Early Detection Program

Common Early Vision Conditions

Importance of Vision in Childhood Development