Eye Screening for Children
A newborn’s vision is mostly blurry, but the visual system develops over time and is fully formed in the teen years. Regular eye screenings are important to protect your child’s vision as they grow. A vision screening is an efficient form of eye exam that may be conducted by a properly trained health care provider e.g. pediatrician, family doctor. A child is “screened” for eye problems and referred to an ophthalmologist for a comprehensive exam if needed.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends the following schedule for eye screening for children:
Newborn
A doctor should examine a newborn’s eyes to check for basic indicators of eye health. It may include testing for:
- a “red reflex” (like seeing red eyes in a flash photograph). If the bright light shone in each eye does not return a red reflex, more testing may be needed.
- blink and pupil response
An ophthalmologist should do a comprehensive exam if the baby is:
- born prematurely
- has signs of eye disease
- or a family history of childhood eye disease
6 to 12 months
A second screening should be done during the child’s first year of life, usually between 6 and 12 months. Your child’s pediatrician or other health care professional will do the tests mentioned above, as well as visually inspect the eyes to check for healthy eye alignment and movement.
12 to 36 months
Between 12 and 36 months, a child is checked for healthy eye development. There may be a “photoscreening” test. A special camera takes pictures of your child’s eyes. These pictures help find problems that can lead to amblyopia (lazy eye). If they see a problem, your child may be referred to an ophthalmologist.
3 to 5 years
Visual acuity (sharpness of vision, like 20/20 for example) should be tested as soon as the child is old enough to read an eye chart. Many children are somewhat farsighted (hyperopic), but can also see clearly even at distance. Most children will not require glasses or other vision correction. If the child struggles with the eye chart, photoscreening may be used to test vision.
An ophthalmologist should see your child if the screening shows signs of:
- misaligned eyes (strabismus)
- “lazy eye” (amblyopia)
- refractive errors (myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism)
- or another focusing problem
Begin treatment for these problems as soon as possible—getting early treatment for your child is the best thing you can do to protect their vision.
5 years and older
At 5, children should be screened for visual acuity and alignment. Nearsightedness (myopia) is the most common problem in this age group. It is corrected with eyeglasses. An ophthalmologist should examine a child with misaligned eyes or signs of other eye problems. Children treated with growth hormone therapy should have their eyes tested before and during treatment.
Dr. Juliet Otiti Sengeri is the Medical Director and lead surgeon at Georgina Eye Clinic. Her surgical specialty is cataract and anterior segment. She has extensive experience in the treatment of cataracts, corneal conditions and glaucoma. She is a member of the American Association of Ophthalmology and an alumnus of the Harvard Medical School.