Florida Senate - 2015 SB 1518
By Senator Garcia
38-00540-15 20151518__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to public health notices regarding
3 children’s eye health; requiring the Department of
4 Health and the Department of Children and Families to
5 post a certain notice on their respective websites;
6 providing an effective date.
7
8 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
9
10 Section 1. Early detection.—The Department of Health shall
11 prominently post the following public health notice on its
12 website in substantially the following form:
13
14 PUBLIC HEALTH NOTICE
15 Early detection and children’s eye health
16
17 Early detection of eye problems is key to ensuring the best
18 vision possible for our children. Every child has a right to
19 healthy vision, and this information is intended to raise
20 awareness of early detection starting at birth and continuing
21 throughout childhood.
22
23 Current best practices recommend that a direct ophthalmoscope be
24 used for at least 15 seconds to look at the back of the eye at
25 every well-baby checkup. This examination should be conducted in
26 a dark room. The ophthalmoscope is the stethoscope for the eyes
27 and should be used with the same diligence.
28
29 Eye dilation is necessary in order for a doctor to detect eye
30 problems in newborns and infants. Eye dilation and testing are
31 recommended three times in the first year of life: at birth or
32 within 2 weeks of birth; at the 6-8 week well-baby visit; and at
33 the 6-9 month well-baby visit. An ophthalmoscope examination
34 should be conducted in a dark room at birth and at each of these
35 visits following the administration of dilation drops by a nurse
36 after the baby is weighed. At the end of the checkup, the doctor
37 should perform an eye exam. Even without eye dilation, there is
38 still a 30 percent chance of detection of eye disease. During
39 the examination, the doctor should test your child’s near,
40 distant, and side vision. He or she should check for irregular
41 eye movement, coordination of focus between the eyes, and eye
42 hand coordination.
43
44 Between well-baby checkups, parents can be on the lookout for
45 warning signs of eye disease. Flash photography may reveal
46 problems with the eye. We have a 60 percent chance of
47 photographing an eye problem in a child. When the flash goes
48 off, the back of the eye is exposed to the light. Sometimes the
49 eyes will appear red, which is the result of the retina
50 reflecting the light. Very dark eyes do not reflect red and will
51 appear normal. However, if there is an odd glow, which may
52 appear white, in one or both eyes, this could indicate the
53 presence of a cataract, glaucoma, retinoblastoma, Coat’s
54 disease, refractive disorder, or other potential problems.
55 Family photos have saved sight, eyes, and lives! Irregular eye
56 movement of any kind also may indicate an eye problem. Examples
57 of irregular eye movement include, one or both eyes rolling
58 inward, eyes not moving in a coordinated fashion, lazy eye, or a
59 drooping eyelid. Red, watery, itchy eyes may indicate an eye
60 problem. Take your child to the doctor if he or she complains of
61 stinging eyes, headaches, blurry vision, eye pain, or trouble
62 seeing in school. Sometimes, there will be no clues that your
63 child has an eye problem or could be losing his or her sight.
64
65 Protect your child’s vision. Take him or her for regular
66 checkups, and always make sure that your child’s physician uses
67 an ophthalmoscope in a dark room at every exam.
68 Section 2. Early detection.-The Department of Children and
69 Families shall prominently post the following public health
70 notice on its website in substantially the following form:
71
72 PUBLIC HEALTH NOTICE
73 Early detection and children’s eye health
74
75 Early detection of eye problems is key to ensuring the best
76 vision possible for our children. Every child has a right to
77 healthy vision, and this information is intended to raise
78 awareness of early detection starting at birth and continuing
79 throughout childhood.
80
81 Current best practices recommend that a direct ophthalmoscope be
82 used for at least 15 seconds to look at the back of the eye at
83 every well-baby checkup. This examination should be conducted in
84 a dark room. The ophthalmoscope is the stethoscope for the eyes
85 and should be used with the same diligence.
86
87 Eye dilation is necessary in order for a doctor to detect eye
88 problems in newborns and infants. Eye dilation and testing are
89 recommended three times in the first year of life: at birth or
90 within 2 weeks of birth; at the 6-8 week well-baby visit; and at
91 the 6-9 month well-baby visit. An ophthalmoscope examination
92 should be conducted in a dark room at birth and at each of these
93 visits following the administration of dilation drops by a nurse
94 after the baby is weighed. At the end of the checkup, the doctor
95 should perform an eye exam. Even without eye dilation, there is
96 still a 30 percent chance of detection of eye disease. During
97 the examination, the doctor should test your child’s near,
98 distant, and side vision. He or she should check for irregular
99 eye movement, coordination of focus between the eyes, and eye
100 hand coordination.
101
102 Between well-baby checkups, parents can be on the lookout for
103 warning signs of eye disease. Flash photography may reveal
104 problems with the eye. We have a 60 percent chance of
105 photographing an eye problem in a child. When the flash goes
106 off, the back of the eye is exposed to the light. Sometimes the
107 eyes will appear red, which is the result of the retina
108 reflecting the light. Very dark eyes do not reflect red and will
109 appear normal. However, if there is an odd glow, which may
110 appear white, in one or both eyes, this could indicate the
111 presence of a cataract, glaucoma, retinoblastoma, Coat’s
112 disease, refractive disorder, or other potential problems.
113 Family photos have saved sight, eyes, and lives! Irregular eye
114 movement of any kind also may indicate an eye problem. Examples
115 of irregular eye movement include, one or both eyes rolling
116 inward, eyes not moving in a coordinated fashion, lazy eye, or a
117 drooping eyelid. Red, watery, itchy eyes may indicate an eye
118 problem. Take your child to the doctor if he or she complains of
119 stinging eyes, headaches, blurry vision, eye pain, or trouble
120 seeing in school. Sometimes, there will be no clues that your
121 child has an eye problem or could be losing his or her sight.
122
123 Protect your child’s vision. Take him or her for regular
124 checkups, and always make sure that your child’s physician uses
125 an ophthalmoscope in a dark room at every exam.
126 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.