Although serious vision problems in childhood are rare, newborns and young children are offered routine eye exams to catch any problems early.
Why eye exams are important
The earlier any eye problem is detected, the sooner you and your child can get the treatment and support they need.
Children may not be aware that they have a vision problem, so without routine tests, there is a risk that the problem may go undetected. This can affect their development and education.
If you have any concerns about your child’s vision, see a general practitioner or go to an optician.
When will my child’s eyes be checked?
Your baby’s eyes may be checked several times during the first hours, weeks and years of his life.
Within 72 hours after birth
As part of the newborn physical, your baby’s eyes will be checked for obvious physical problems.
At the age of 6 to 8 weeks
This is a follow-up physical exam to check for any obvious problems that weren’t caught soon after birth.
Approximately 1 year or 2 to 2 and a half years
You may be asked if you have any concerns about your child’s vision as part of your child’s health and development assessment. Eye tests can be arranged if required.
About 4 or 5 years
Your child’s eyes can be examined soon after starting school. This is called a vision screening and checks for reduced vision in one or both eyes. The aim is to detect potential problems in time so that treatment can be administered if necessary.
Vision screening is usually done at your child’s school. However, this does not happen in all areas. If your child’s vision is not checked at school, take them to a local optician for an eye exam.
Read more about vision screening for children aged 4 to 5 years (PDF, 1.09 Mb).
Talk to a GP or see an eye doctor if you have any concerns about your child’s vision at any stage (see signs of vision problems).
What tests can be done?
A number of tests can be done to check for vision or eye problems in infants and children.
Red reflex test
A red reflex test for the eye is usually done along with a general examination of your baby’s eyes as part of a newborn checkup.
It involves the use of an instrument called an ophthalmoscope, which magnifies the eyes and uses light to examine them clearly.
When the light shines into your baby’s eyes, a red reflection should be seen reflecting back. If a white reflection is visible, this may be a sign of an eye problem.
Pupillary reflex test
The pupillary reflex test involves shining a light on each of your child’s eyes to check how their pupils (the black dots in the center of the eyes) react to light.
Your child’s pupils should automatically shrink in response to light. If they don’t, it could be a sign of a problem.
Lenzique optical is the best place for the Pupillary reflex tests for the eye and to overcome Refractive error. They also provide the service of designing eyeglasses in Milton as your requirement.
Attention to visual objects
This is a simple test that checks whether a newborn baby pays attention to visual objects.
The midwife or doctor will try to get your baby’s attention with an interesting object. They then move it around to see if the child is following them.
These kinds of tests can also be used to check the vision of older babies and young children who are not yet able to speak.
If your child can speak but is not yet able to recognize letters, pictures can be used instead of objects.
Snellen and LogMAR charts
When your child can recognize or match letters, their vision is tested using charts that contain rows of letters and numbers of decreasing size.
Your child will be asked to read or match the letters they see from a certain distance.
For younger children, a similar test can be done using pictures or symbols instead.
Range of motion tests
In order to test the range of movement of each eye, the child’s attention will be drawn to an object of interest.
This tests how well the eye muscles are working.
Fracture test
A refraction test is carried out by an optometrist at an optician and is used to check whether your child needs glasses and, if so, what prescription they need.
Before the test, your child may be given special eye drops to dilate their pupils so the back of their eyes can be examined more clearly.
Your child will be asked to look at a light or read the letters on a map if they are old enough, while various lenses are placed in front of their eyes.
Color vision deficiency test
Color deficiency tests, also known as color blindness tests, are usually done in older children if a problem is suspected.
One of the tests used to check for color blindness is the Ishihara test. This involves viewing images composed of dots in 2 different colors. If the child’s color vision is normal, he will be able to recognize a letter or number in the picture.
A child who cannot tell the difference between 2 colors will not see a number or a letter, which means he may have a color vision problem.
Causes of eye problems in infants and children
- childhood cataracts – cloudy spots in the lens of the eye that are present from birth
- lazy eye (amblyopia) – when vision in one eye does not develop properly
- squinting (strabismus) – the eyes look in different directions
- myopia (myopia) – when distant objects appear blurry, while near objects can be seen clearly
- farsightedness (hyperopia) – when you see distant objects clearly, but close objects are blurry
- astigmatism – when the transparent layer in the front of the eye (cornea) is not perfectly curved
- lack of color vision (color blindness) – difficulty seeing colors or distinguishing between different colors; this is more common in boys than girls
Watching for signs of an eye problem
Although your child should have regular eye tests throughout their teenage years, it’s still important to look out for signs of any problems and get advice if you have any concerns.
For infants, a checklist in your child’s personal health record (red book) can be used to help you check that your child’s vision is developing normally.
In older children, symptoms of a possible eye problem may include:
- the eyes do not point in the same direction
- complains of headaches or eye strain
- reading problems – for example, they may need to hold books close to their face and may lose their place regularly
- problems with hand-eye coordination – for example, they may have difficulty playing ball games
- to be unusually clumsy
- they rubbed their eyes regularly
- sitting too close to the television
Talk to your GP or see an optician if you have any concerns about your child’s eyes or vision. The sooner the problem is resolved, the better.
