If there is one thing that parents would like their children to
learn, it's to seek lifelong good health. The best way to get
the ball rolling is to serve as a role model. Teach your children
the important habits of good health, like preventive eye exams.
When should children get their first eye examination?
A routine eye examination is a normal part of the physical given
to infants and children by their neonatologist or pediatrician.
Your baby will be examined at birth for any congenital problems.
Though these problems are rare, diagnosis is crucial for your
baby's proper sight and eye development. At each well child
exam, the pediatrician will check for problems. If you or the
child's doctor have any concerns, the child should be
referred for evaluation. All children should be screened for
amblyopia prior to their fifth birthday. Amblyopia is a condition
in which one eye sees poorly and is often successfully treated
using glasses, patching, drops, or surgery depending on the cause
of the problem.
How should I prepare my child for an eye exam?
Make time to sit down and explain what will happen during the
eye exam. Make sure your child knows that he will be asked to look
at and identify objects for the practitioner. These could be random
pictures, letters, or spots of light on the wall. Explain also that
the doctor may put drops in his eyes that will help to see inside
of his eyes better, but it will not hurt.
What tests will be done on my child?
At the age of six months, the optometrist will check for
nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, eye movement ability,
proper eye alignment reaction to changes in light and darkness (red
papillary light reflex), and any general eye health problems. An
irregular light reflex may be a sign of abnormalities within the
structure of the eye. These could include cataracts (clouding of
the lens), how well the eye focuses light, or possibly tumors. At
any time, if problems are found during the examination, the child
will usually be referred to a pediatric ophthalmologist, who
specializes in diagnosing and treating eye conditions in children.
Early diagnosis of childhood eye disease is crucial to effective
treatment.
For children between the ages of 3 and 5 years, the eye doctor
will conduct a physical examination of the eyes. The doctor will
also conduct vision screenings using eye chart tests, pictures,
letters, or the "tumbling E game" to test the child's visual
acuity, or ability to see form and detail of objects. The "tumbling
E game," also called the "Random E's Visual Acuity Test," is
useful in determining visual acuity for children who cannot yet
read. The child is asked to identify the direction that the letter
"E" opens to by holding out 4 fingers to mimic the letter "E."
Correcting poor visual acuity is very important in a child's
sight development.