Early vision screening in the medical home can lead to the detection of most prevalent and significant vision disorders of preschool children. Early vision screening can lead to the detection, treatment, and prevention of many eye diseases. If all children receive vision screening at well-child visits in their medical home, permanent visual loss due to amblyopia for example will decrease significantly.

How do I know if my child has a vision problem?

Vision screening is a very important way to identify vision problems. During an exam the doctor looks for eye disease and checks to see if the eyes are working properly. Children with a family history of childhood vision problems are more likely to have eye problems themselves.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that children have their eyes checked by a pediatrician at the following ages:

• Newborn. All infants before discharge from the hospital should have their eyes checked in the newborn nursery for infections, defects, cataracts, or glaucoma. This is especially true for premature infants, infants who were given oxygen, and infants with multiple medical problems.

• By 6 months of age. Pediatricians should screen infants at their well-baby visits to check for proper eye health, vision development, and alignment of the eyes.

• At 3 to 4 years of age. All children should have their eyes and vision checked for any abnormalities that may cause problems with later development.

• At 5 years of age and older. Your pediatrician should check your child's vision in each eye separately every year. If a problem is found during routine eye exams, your pediatrician may have your child see a pediatric ophthalmologist, an eye doctor trained and experienced in the care of children's eye problems. Your pediatrician can advise you on eye doctors in your area.

Spotting Eye Problems

Watch your child for evidence of poor vision or crossed eyes. If you notice any eye problems, have your child examined immediately so that the problem doesn't become permanent.

If caught early, eye conditions often can be reversed.

Here are signs that a child may have vision problems:

Common Eye Problems

Several eye conditions can affect kids. Most are detected by a vision screening using an acuity chart during the preschool years.

 - Amblyopia ("lazy eye") is poor vision in an eye that may appear to be normal.

 - Strabismus is a misalignment of the eyes; they may turn in, out, up, or down.

 - Refractive errors mean that the shape of the eye doesn't refract, or bend, light properly, so images appear blurred. Refractive errors also can cause amblyopia. Nearsightedness is the most common refractive error in school-age children; others include farsightedness and astigmatism:

o Nearsightedness is poor distance vision (also called myopia), which is usually treated with glasses or contacts.

o Farsightedness is poor near vision (also called hyperopia), which is usually treated with glasses or contacts.

o Astigmatism is imperfect curvature of the front surface of the eye, which is usually treated with glasses if it causes blurred vision or discomfort.

- Other eye conditions require immediate attention, such as retinopathy of prematurity (a disease that affects the eyes of premature babies) and those associated with a family history, including:

Retinoblastoma is a malignant tumor that usually appears in the first 3 years of life. The affected eye or eyes may have visual loss and whiteness in the pupil.

Infantile cataracts can occur in newborns. A cataract is a clouding of the eye's lens.

Congenital glaucoma in infants is a rare condition that may be inherited. It is the result of incorrect or incomplete development of the eye drainage canals before birth and can be treated with medication and surgery.

Genetic or metabolic diseases of the eye, such as inherited disorders that make a child more likely to develop retinoblastoma or cataracts, may require kids to have eye exams at an early age and regular screenings.

Be sure to talk to your doctor if your child is at risk for any of these conditions