Eye examinations begin in the hospital nursery when a baby’s eyes are examined for a clear strong red reflex indicating a clear pathway for light to enter the eye. Though uncommon, blockage of the visual axis in infancy, such as with a cataract, must be addressed in the first weeks of life to avoid permanent loss of vision.
This type of assessment is repeated on follow up visits to the pediatrician for well baby care at which times testing for strabismus or eye alignment is also performed. More formal vision testing with an eye chart of picture symbols or letters is typically attempted in the three to four year old range. The recommendation is for this to occur as well in the pediatrician’s office during well child appointments. Each eye is tested individually, as poor vision in one eye may not be evident in the normal course of the child’s lifestyle. Some newer photoscreening devices can provide objective measurements of vision in preverbal children. If results are normal during this testing, examination by an eye doctor is not necessary. If any testing is abnormal or inconclusive or parents notice any vision or eye abnormalities, a referral to a Pediatric Ophthalmologist may be indicated.
Louis Furlan, M.D.
Thank you to our guest blogger: Louis Furlan, M.D., Pediatric Ophthalmologist at The Eye Care & Surgery Center
This type of assessment is repeated on follow up visits to the pediatrician for well baby care at which times testing for strabismus or eye alignment is also performed. More formal vision testing with an eye chart of picture symbols or letters is typically attempted in the three to four year old range. The recommendation is for this to occur as well in the pediatrician’s office during well child appointments. Each eye is tested individually, as poor vision in one eye may not be evident in the normal course of the child’s lifestyle. Some newer photoscreening devices can provide objective measurements of vision in preverbal children. If results are normal during this testing, examination by an eye doctor is not necessary. If any testing is abnormal or inconclusive or parents notice any vision or eye abnormalities, a referral to a Pediatric Ophthalmologist may be indicated.
Louis Furlan, M.D.
Thank you to our guest blogger: Louis Furlan, M.D., Pediatric Ophthalmologist at The Eye Care & Surgery Center
