WHEN IT COMES TO LIFEGUARD VISION... BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY

Lifeguard Vision Project

By Barry L. Seiller, M.D. Ophthalmologist

Self Test Kit Now Available to All Park and Recreation Facilities

Consider that a lifeguard must be a skilled swimmer, in good physical condition- tested, trained and certified in a variety of swim, rescue, emergency and resuscitation techniques - but is not required to see particularly well. Absurd! Yes. Correctable? Yes.

In an attempt to address this important issue, the Aquatics Committee of the Park District Risk Management Agency (PDRMA), asked the staff of the Visual Fitness Institute (VFI) to develop vision standards for lifeguards and design procedures that would allow all PDRMA members (123 park and recreation agencies in Illinois) to screen their lifeguard candidates efficiently and cost effectively. Three options have been considered.

On-Site Testing: Too Expensive

After surveying parks and recreation facilities nationwide early in 1995, VFI established minimum vision standards which are both practical and readily attainable. We implemented a pilot study at seven park and recreation facilities in the summer of 1995. All lifeguard candidates at these seven facilities were tested on portable electronic vision test devices. The results were published in the February, 1996 issue of Parks and Recreation. The results were not surprising. Sub-par vision was found in 1 of every 10 candidates, and 1 in 6 admitted to not wearing their prescription eyewear. The article prompted numerous inquiries and letters of support encouraging VFI to expand the scope of the program. However to implement a large scale program of this type, the costs of the vision screening services were found to be too high to be cost-effective.

Off-Site Testing: Too Inconvenient

In an attempt to reduce the cost and time constraints of on-site testing, VFI established four regional vision test sites in 1996 that would be accessible to most PDRMA agencies. Unfortunately, the program failed to elicit the kind of high volume participation that VFI and PDRMA hoped it would. Most facilities cited inconvenience and coordination of transportation as the reason for not taking advantage of the regional test program... so it was back to the drawing board for the VFI staff to consider a third option.

Self-Testing: Just Right

In 1997, a brand of new VFI self-test kit was delivered to 126 aquatic facilities nationwide and a total of 2875 candidates had their vision tested prior to beginning lifeguard duties. The materials and instructions contained in the kit allowed the facility manager or designee to perform the vision testing at their facility at a convenient time. However, the responsibility for interpreting the test results rested solely with the professional eye care practitioners.

Response to the VFI self-test program has been overwhelmingly enthusiastic from facility managers, park and recreation administrators,insurers, and others. They especially like the fact that the test was easy to administer, fast, convenient and cost effective. Several insurers said that they planned to use incentives to stimulate facilities to use the self-test kit or devise their own methods for testing lifeguard vision prior to opening the pools next summer.

Twenty-six percent of the candidates wore contact lenses and a fair number of those candidates tried to take the test without corrective lenses and failed. Candidates who took the test without their glasses or contact lenses and failed were given an opportunity to retake the test with their corrective lenses.

in 1998, 173 facilities participated in the program and the total number of candidates screened increased to 4132. The 1997 test materials were reconfigured with the assistance and feedback from the participating facilities. In 1997 and 1998 nationwide, there was a failure rate -- however, all of the vision problems were correctable, and all from their own eye doctors. The reduction in the failure rate can be partially attributed to the understanding by the testing candidates that they must wear their glasses or contacts for the screening. We hope that this correlates with an increase in vision correction compliance while on the job.

Test is Fast, Efficient, and Affordable

The kit includes the GUARDVISION(TM) vision charts (versions A, B and C) which is part of the registration form, a 10-foot measuring device, vision failure instructions for the facilities and a trouble shooting phone number.

The chart consists of rows of letters in progressively smaller size. It is placed 10 feet from the subject and the examiner circles the last line read correctly. To prevent bias, the examiner uses three different versions of the vision chart and he/she is unaware of the pass/fail line. Furthermore, the examiner has no responsibility for evaluating or decision making. All of the test screening sheets are returned to VFI for scoring in a self-addressed, Priority Mail envelope, and the results are sent back to the facility by mail or fax within 48 hours. This report then becomes a permanent record of participation.

Educational Brochure for Guards

The Guardvision Kit also includes an educational brochure which teaches lifeguards how to protect their vision, information about UV protection, polarization, and tips on how to recognize and correct vision problems in order to maximize their own effectiveness on the job.

To register your facility for the VFI Lifeguard Vision Program and order the updated self-test kit for 2001, call the Visual Fitness Institute at 847-816-3131 or write to VFI at 6 Phillip Road, Suite 1110, Vernon Hills, Illinois 60061. you can also download an application from the VFI website: www.visualfitness.com .

Barry L. Seiller, M.D., ophthalmologist, vision consultant to PDRMA, founded the Visual Fitness Institute in 1989 with the objective of using the most technologically advanced vision training techniques and equipment to improve athletes' visual skills levels and sports performance. Since then, Seiller has worked with hundreds of athletes- amateurs, professionals and Olympians. At the present time, VFI is in charge of Visual Performance Programs for four U.S. Olympic teams: skiing, snowboarding, Luge, and bobsled.