Facts about Pediatric Vision Testing

Vision problems can exist as early as childhood, so it's vital to maintain regular eye examinations with an eye care professional to ensure your child's eyes remain healthy for years to come. Doctors normally examine a child's eyes shortly after birth as a precautionary measure for serious eye diseases or disorders that may be genetic. Your child's doctor will normally begin vision testing by the age of 3. The testing will be basic in nature, but if any concerns arise from the results of the tests, your child will be referred to a specialist in optometry or ophthalmology.

Common problems that may afflict children and teens are myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism. These refractive errors can cause blurry vision at near and far distances, making it difficult for your child to read, write and function in school. Other conditions, such as a lazy eye or crossed eyes, are more apparent without an in-depth examination.

It's recommended that a child receive annual eye examinations until his/her teenage years. In a routine eye examination, the doctor will test your child's eyesight through various methods. The visual acuity test using the standard eye chart (the Snellen Chart) is one of the most widely used diagnostic tools when testing eyesight. This chart can effectively determine the quality of your child's eyesight and whether any refractive errors exist.

Additionally, the doctor will test your child's eye movement, peripheral vision, inner eye pressure, and possibly test for colorblindness. The doctor may also choose to examine the eye further with an ophthalmoscope. Eye drops dilate the eyes, and the device is used to examine the child's retina, retinal vessels, fundus, and optic nerve.

If any refractive errors are detected, eyeglasses or contact lenses are the treatment of choice for children and teens. While many children may be worried about the appearance of eyeglasses and being teased at school, eyeglasses have come a long way in recent years with options for thinner lenses and fashionable frames. The children can choose from a variety of cool frames that will make their friends want glasses, too.