PediaVision Announces Record New Orders for Revolutionary New Vision Screening Device, Spot

LAKE MARY, Fla., Sept. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- PediaVision today announced a new breakthrough vision screening device that will help children across America.  This revolutionary new technology, Spot, can assess a child's vision with unmatched speed, accuracy and deliver immediate comprehensive results.  

Spot has an incredibly quick capture time of less than one second which makes screening equally efficient in a physician's office or large-scale public screening. The WiFi enabled handheld device makes vision screening as easy as taking a photo. Spot's touchscreen interface clearly displays the results accurately and instantly.  Spot is easily used by anyone when screening children from 6 months through adults.  

With Spot, a typical school can be screened in one day, dramatically lowering the cost to screen students.  Access to the screening data is immediate and Spot facilitates a large scale data analysis.  Spot enables educators to instantly print reports, monitor follow-up care and show supporters the statistics behind childhood vision issues.

"Our goal is to give every child the opportunity to reach their full potential," said David Melnik, president and chief executive officer of PediaVision. "Spot demonstrates how innovation can drive profound changes in our community.  For the first time consistent and comprehensive vision screening is feasible on a global basis."

Vision Disability, Number One Health Issue

There is an on-going and urgent need for Spot.  The U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that vision disability is the single most prevalent disabling condition among children. Approximately 80 percent(1) of what children learn in their early school years is visual, so if they can't see a teacher's writing on the blackboard, they will struggle.  

The current standard for vision screening is primarily based on subjective analysis from a chart invented 149 years ago.  In parallel, vision problems rise as children get older.  For children 6 to 11 years old, an estimated 21.5 percent have a vision problem. Older students 12-17 years old are estimated at 24 percent.(2)

In a recent study of the top seven health issues in schools, vision disability is priority number one.(3)  This clearly shows evidence that addressing the prevalence of visions disorders can improve student outcomes.  Statistics show an incredible need, the CDC states that less than 15 percent of all preschool children receive an eye exam and fewer than 22 percent receive any type of vision screening.  

Today, of all school-age children across America, 25 percent suffer from a vision problem,(2) yet in the 9 to 15 year age group, only 10% of those needing glasses actually had them.

"Obviously, the status quo doesn't work, especially when we have the ability to do so much better," said Melnik, a proven innovator with a track record of changing the status quo. "Often the challenges we face in trying to improve academic and personal performance can seem insurmountable.  The problem of undetected vision disorders shouldn't, and doesn't have to be one of those."

New Vision Screening Standard

PediaVision is committed to setting a new vision screening standard with Spot.  The technology was developed to address all of the challenges as quickly, conveniently and affordably as possible.

"This is a life-changing and industry-changing new technology," said Tom Zeug, practice manager for Tenafly Pediatrics, a six-facility New Jersey practice. "It measures the eyes faster and we will be able to expand our ages, screening younger and older children. Up until now, it has been difficult to screen younger children, because they don't maintain eye contact long enough and it was difficult to get a reliable reading.

"Our staff loves Spot because it's so much faster than just using the eye chart. They can complete a full vision screening in a matter of seconds for each patient, which is remarkable."

In as long as it takes to snap a finger, Spot can identify the most common vision issues associated with school-age children which can hamper a student's ability to learn. A quick screening is able to detect nearsightedness (myopia), blurred vision (astigmatism) and farsightedness (hyperopia).  For pre-verbal and pre-school children, Spot looks for indications of amblyopia, a form of blindness in one and eye that affects 1 in 50 children.  

The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that during childhood, babies up to age 2 should have vision screenings during regular pediatric visits, and screenings every one or two years from ages 3 to 19.  

To Order Spot Vision

Interested parties should contact PediaVision's Vice President, Jeff Mortensen ([email protected]), to learn how to acquire Spot vision.

About PediaVision

PediaVision, inventor of the Spot vision screener, is dedicated to solving the critical problem of undiagnosed vision problems and transforming the lives of thousands of children each day. Automated and objective vision screening empowers organizations in public health and private medicine to positively affect the outcomes of a child's education performance.

Supported by ophthalmologists, optometrists, scientists and leading technology innovators, the Spot vision screener is breakthrough technology and represents what vision screening should be.  Please visit www.pediavision.com. 

(1) American Optometric Association

(2) Center for Health and Health Care in Schools. Childhood Vision: What the research tells us. 2004.

(3) Basch, C.E. (2010) Healthier Students Are Better Learners: A Missing Link in Efforts to Close the Achievement Gap.

SOURCE PediaVision