Richmond-area Pediatricians Are Spot-on with High-Tech Vision Screening

RICHMOND, Va. - April 12, 2016 - PRLog -- Pediatric Partners of Virginia, LLC (PPV), Central Virginia's largest pediatric practice, is pleased to announce the addition of the Spot^TM vision screener from Welch Allyn to their arsenal of diagnostic tools to help children in Virginia be their healthiest. The Spot^TM device comes with a variety of clinical benefits over traditional, chart-based screening tools. The most important benefit is that this device can be used for children who are unable to speak or read.

"Part of PPV's Core Values is to provide innovative care to the children of Virginia, and one way we are doing that is through the Spot^TM vision screener," said Mark M. Deutsch, PPV's Chief Executive Officer. Every day PPV's clinicians are identifying children with vision challenges thanks to this cutting edge technology, and "Patients have been giving us very positive reviews about this tool," added Mr. Deutsch.

Spot^TM is a handheld device that works on children as young as 6 months of age up to adulthood. The device is held 3 feet away, which is great for kids who like their personal space. During the Spot^TM exam, the child sits down and looks into the front of the device where blinking lights are shown. In a matter of seconds, a series of photos are taken using infrared light. The photos are then analyzed to determine if the child's vision is "in range" or "out of range." Parents can receive a concise, one-page report with the results, and their physician can take further action if necessary.

Spot^TM is able to detect a variety of vision problems including nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. It can also detect unequal vision power (anisometropia), eye misalignment (amblyopia), unequal pupil size (anisocoria), and eye structure problems. Spot^TM also supports the American Academy of Pediatrics' (AAP) screening guidelines for early detection of amblyopic risk factors.

Since early diagnosis increases the chances of complete recovery, eye experts recommend that children undergo eye examinations starting at six months of age. Additionally, as the AAP has stated, "In children younger than 3 years, few professionals can reliably determine acuity in each eye by using a vision chart. Therefore, for younger children, the preferred methodology is instrument-based detection of risk factors for amblyopia."

As with most health problems, time is of the essence. Spot^TM's ability to detect vision problems in young children is important for early intervention. PPV is offering the Spot^TM vision screening as part of a well-visit examination.

For more information on the Spot^TM vision screening system, visit http://pediatricpartnersva.com to find the PPV location closest to you.