Keep an Eye on Your Child’s Vision
Be alert for problems, and get required eye screenings

Most parents understand that if their third grader comes home from school complaining about not being able to see the board, it is probably time to schedule a comprehensive medical eye evaluation with an ophthalmologist. However, it is possible for an eye or vision problem to present itself, even before your child is able to tell you herself. Therefore, it’s important for parents to know when to have their children’s eyes screened and to understand typical eye development for children.

“It’s never too early to have a child’s eyes screened,” says Jeffrey N. Bloom, MD, director of Pediatric Ophthalmology at Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital. “Eye exams can be performed on children at any age, and there are certain screening examinations required throughout childhood.”

Infants receive their first simple eye screening shortly after they are born during a newborn medical examination administered by the pediatrician.

At 6 months, infants should be evaluated for eye alignment, health of the eye structure and the ability to follow a moving object. At or around this time, parents can quickly check their child’s fixation ability by holding his favorite toy in front of him and moving it up, down, left and right. Watch to see if he can fix and follow the toy with both eyes.

Overall vision testing is recommended for all children starting at age 3, but should be performed for a child at the earliest practical age. Children’s eyes should be checked again at age 5 and every one to two years after that. If the pediatrician or test administrator finds an abnormality, he or she will provide a referral to an ophthalmologist.

Some of the most common childhood vision problems include reduced vision in an eye; misalignment of the two eyes, which can be described as outward, inward, upward or downward; and refractive errors, such as nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism. Refractive errors are the most common, occurring in 20 percent of children by their teen years. It is possible, however, for children to have more severe eye problems, such as cataracts or glaucoma.

“Parents should be prepared to tell the pediatrician about any family history of childhood eye problems. These children, as well as other high-risk children — such as infants born with a congenital abnormality or infants born prematurely— should be referred as early as possible,” says Dr. Bloom.

It’s best to catch vision problems while a child is very young. Some problems, if detected early, can be treated effectively, and permanent vision loss can be prevented. Later, problems are harder to correct. If you see crossed eyes or think there might be other visual problems, the best first action is to consult your child’s pediatrician.