Why This Matters

Cerebral or cortical visual impairment (CVI) is the leading cause of pediatric visual impairment in developed countries, according to a 2024 Pediatrics Clinical Report.

Children with CVI often pass routine office-based or instrument-based screenings, yet still struggle with significant functional vision challenges. These early signs are easy to miss—especially during busy well-child visits.

Early identification is critical. Timely referral means families receive the right evaluations, education, and support during the most important years of development.

The Visual Behaviors Questionnaire© makes this process practical and consistent. In less than two minutes, it combines caregiver insights with straightforward scoring to guide next steps at well-child visits. It can be used at every visit or anytime a caregiver raises developmental concerns.

Clinical Endorsement

Early signs of low vision or visual impairment in young children can be easy to miss—especially during a busy well-child visit. A Shared Vision’s updated Vision Screening Protocol offers a simple, developmentally appropriate way to supplement your current screening practices.

The Visual Behaviors Questionnaire© is especially valuable. It highlights visual behaviors parents may not think to mention but that warrant a closer look or a timely referral. This tool was built with input from pediatric ophthalmologists, including myself, and it’s designed to work in real-world settings without adding unnecessary burden.

I strongly encourage pediatric providers to participate in the well-child screening pilot. Your involvement helps ensure children with visual impairments are identified and supported as early as possible—when early action makes the greatest impact."

— Emily McCourt, MD
Ponzio Family Chair for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Chief of Pediatric Ophthalmology Children’s Hospital Colorado

Visual Behaviors Questionnaire©

The Visual Behaviors Questionnaire© is part of the overall Vision Screening Protocol© for children birth to age three. 

How it works:
In addition to reviewing the child’s eyes and eyelids and completing an objective vision screening (fixation, tracking, pupillary reflex, and corneal light reflection), providers ask caregivers to complete a 17-question caregiver survey on their child's visual behaviors.

Key features:

• Available as a 1-page paper form, tablet-based survey, or simple HIPAA-compliant online version (works on a phone).
  
• Quick to complete: typically takes less than 2 minutes.
• Straightforward to score at the point of intake.
• Complements Bright Futures developmental surveillance and aligns with AAP vision screening guidance.
• Not diagnostic: instead, it flags patterns of visual behaviors that may warrant referral or further evaluation.

Why it matters:

• Captures caregiver insights that are not always visible in a brief clinical exam.
• Helps distinguish between ocular conditions and possible brain-based causes of visual impairment.
• Promotes earlier referral for comprehensive evaluation and intervention services.
• Encourages collaboration between caregivers, pediatric providers, and specialists.

Visual Behaviors Questionnaire©

2-Minute Overview

This short video explains how the screening works in real-world practice, how to score it, and how to use the results to guide referrals.

Get Involved in the Pilot

We’re inviting pediatric professionals to join the well-child vision screening pilot. Participation gives you the chance to:

• Use a research-informed tool designed for busy well-child visits
  
• Contribute feedback that will shape statewide implementation
  
• Help ensure children with visual impairments are identified earlier and supported sooner
  
  

Ready to learn more?

Schedule a call with us to explore how the Visual Behaviors Questionnaire© can fit into your practice. We’ll review options for using the tool (PDF or cloud-based), provide training and support, share family-friendly materials, and answer any questions about implementation.

Use this link to pick a time that's most convenient for you!