Product: The Curious Eye
Top Line: The Children’s Eye Foundation of AAPOS recently unveiled the world’s first interactive children’s book to help screen for color vision deficiency (CVD), commonly known as color blindness. The foundation has posted a free digital version of The Curious Eye at thecuriouseye.org and published a first-run, hardcover book for its member pediatric ophthalmologists.
Close Up: This unique book meets a significant unmet societal need, as neither schools nor most physicians’ offices screen for CVD, and children generally don't even know they have it. Largely genetic, the condition typically goes undiagnosed in children, despite it affecting 1 in 12 males and 1 in 200 females, globally.
“We are thrilled to have created The Curious Eye,” said Kristen Barbarics, executive director of development at the foundation. “It is a playful yet practical screening tool to help parents, educators, and eyecare professionals identify children who may have color vision deficiency early. We’re hopeful that it also reminds everyone that we all see differently and that’s okay. As the book concludes, ‘And never forget the one thing that’s true. How you see is special to you.’”
Written in rhyme for young children (first grade reading level), the 24-page storybook takes a page from the standardized Ishihara test format for CVD. Developed over 100 years ago, the clinical test features a series of multicolored dots in the shape of numbers, which someone with CVD will have difficulty seeing. Early diagnosis is crucial—as color is an important learning and development tool during a child’s formative years—and The Curious Eye turns the screening process into a fun and engaging adventure. As readers journey across the leafy treetops of a jungle, comb through starfish on a beach, and explore the bottom of the ocean, they are asked to point out all the creatures they see. Each double-page spread includes many creatures, one of which people with red-green CVD (95 percent of CVD instances) will find difficult to detect because they have trouble telling the difference between reds, oranges, and greens.
The book also features a handy answer key at the end of the story to help parents and educators—even those who may be affected by CVD—determine if they should contact an eyecare professional for diagnosis.
The Curious Eye concept was developed by Klick Health, the world’s largest independent health marketing agency.
Vital Stats: Parents, educators, and other caregivers can download the e-version of The Curious Eye and access more information on CVD by visiting thecuriouseye.org. They can also use the site’s ophthalmologist locator to find the pediatric ophthalmologist nearest them.
www.childrenseyefoundation.org