Reduce referrals: Skip eye chart with automated vision checker for kids

The Spot Vision Screener has a retail cost between $6000 and $7000, according to Dr. Vernacchio. “Many” insurance companies will pay a separate fee for vision screening using an instrument, but others bundle the screening into a well visit, he noted.

“So, you can actually calculate the time to recover the cost of the device based on your payer practices,” he said. Another option is a smart phone app that uses a subscription model, in which the test results are interpreted by the company within a few minutes with a per test charge of about .99 cents.

“The Holy Grail is whether this process will reduce the incidence of amblyopia,” said Dr. Vernacchio. That study is next on his to-do list, he said, but “it’s going to take longer to answer that question.”

The authors reported no conflicts of interest. There was no external funding.