[Eye health promotion and early visual problem detection in the public health services].

INTRODUCTION The main purpose of the study was to verify knowledge about eye health care attention of the pediatricians and nurses at public health centers in the city of Campinas, state of São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS Knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding eye health on behalf of pediatricians and nurses who worked at health centers in Campinas were studied through questionnaires and forms. RESULTS The implementation of primary health care actions in children wasn't usual in the public services due to the little knowledge that both pediatricians and nurses had about it. Of 61% pediatricians, 82,0% (50) and 91,0% of the 22 nurses didn't know the age at which visual development is finished; 86,3% (53) of the pediatricians and 100,0% the nurses didn't know what was amblyopia. CONCLUSIONS Therefore, the eye health promotion and the early visual problem detection in children were not run by the professionals from the public health services in the city of Campinas.