The vision system of babies and young children isn’t yet fully formed, so it’s important that your children get regular screenings to ensure that their eyes and vision are developing properly. How often should you schedule vision screenings for your child and just what can you expect during these exams?
Here at Penguin Pediatrics PLLC, with offices in Ashburn and Stone Ridge, Virginia, Dr. Umesh Kodu and our team provide your child with comprehensive pediatric care, including vision screenings. We’ve compiled this helpful guide to help you learn more about this important part of your child’s health care.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that a physician perform vision screenings at a few points in your child’s life, including:
It’s important to check your newborn baby’s eyes before they leave the hospital. This helps to rule out the possibility of eye infections, cataracts, defects, or glaucoma. These risks are higher for premature babies, babies who were on oxygen for a long period of time, and babies with a lot of medical problems.
When your child is 6 months old, we check their vision as part of a well-child exam. At this age, we check for eye health, vision development, and the alignment of your child’s eyes.
At these ages, we use photo screening devices to detect potential eye problems.
When your child is preschool age, we continue to monitor your child’s eye alignment. We also check for visual sharpness. We make sure that your child can focus at close, middle, and far distances. This is the age when we check for lazy eye and refractive problems like nearsightedness and astigmatism, an abnormality in the lens curvature.
From here on out, we start checking your child’s vision in each eye separately every year. At this stage, we mostly screen for visual alignment and accuracy of sight. If a problem is suspected, we refer you to an optometrist, given the possibility that your child needs glasses. The most common problem with children of this age is myopia, or nearsightedness.
Regular vision screenings are important for making sure that your child’s vision is functioning at its best, and to detect any potential problems as early as possible.
Your child’s vision care is an important facet of their overall health care, so call us or make an appointment right on our website today.
