Overview
Initiative type
Model of Care
Status
Deliver
Published
June 2026
Summary
Closing the vision gap in adolescents by implementing a Nurse-Led Year 7 Vision Screening Program
Dates: January 2025 - Ongoing
Implementation sites: West Moreton Hospital and Health Service
Aim
To evaluate the feasibility, outcomes, and equity impacts of a nurse-led, standardised Snellen vision screening program for Year 7 students across urban and rural schools within West Moreton Hospital and Health Service (HHS).
Outcomes
Of 509 eligible students, 212 (42%) were screened. Ninety-one students (43%) did not meet the minimum vision criteria and were referred for comprehensive assessment, revealing a substantial burden of previously undetected impairment. Opt-out consent produced significantly higher participation than opt-in (87% vs 13%). Screening averaged five minutes per student, demonstrating feasibility in school settings.
Background
Uncorrected visual impairment in adolescence is associated with reduced learning engagement, impaired academic performance, and a range of behavioural and psychosocial challenges. In Queensland, routine government-funded vision screening is provided only in the Prep year through the Primary School Nurse Health Readiness Program, with no systematic screening across later primary or secondary schooling. This creates a substantial gap during early adolescence, a period of increasing visual demands and rapid myopia progression, when undetected vision problems can significantly affect participation and wellbeing. Addressing this gap presents an opportunity for nurse-led innovation to strengthen health equity and outcomes.
Methods
A structured three-metre Snellen screening protocol was implemented by School-Based Youth Health Nurses in three state secondary schools (two rural, one urban) during Terms 3 and 4, 2025.
All Year 7 students were eligible, excluding those wearing prescription lenses or receiving ophthalmology care. Screening time, participation rates, visual acuity results, and referral pathways were analysed. Consent models (opt-in vs opt-out) were compared to determine impacts on accessibility and equity.
Discussion
This initiative demonstrates that a nurse-delivered Year 7 screening model is feasible, efficient, and impactful. Integrating adolescent vision screening into routine school health services, supported by opt-out consent and strengthened referral pathways, offers a low-cost, scalable solution to improve equity, early detection, and learning outcomes.
References
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