Vision Screening Tests in children

At birth, the newborn's vision is blurred, but over time the visual system develops and children reach clear and sharp vision after a few years. In the first months of life, up to 3-4 months, the newborn's vision is blurred and he cannot focus and follow visual objects.

It is recommended to carry out screening tests for children of different ages in order to verify the normal development of the vision and the visual system. These screening tests can be done by an ophthalmologist, a family doctor, a pediatrician, or a qualified professional.

Recommended schedule for children's eye examinations:

Newborns: red reflex test, pupillary reaction, blinking, corneal transparency. It is necessary to do a comprehensive eye examination including pupil dilation in cases of signs of eye disease, prematurity or a family history of eye disease. 6 to 12 months: A second examination should be done during the first year of the child's life. In addition to the above-mentioned tests, it is necessary to visually check the eyes, to make sure that the eye rests and movements are normal.

12 to 36 months: at this age, in addition to the above, it is necessary to perform an eye examination and rule out lazy eye. 3 to 5 years: At this age, the child's vision and eye position should be checked. Visual acuity should be checked (visual acuity, like 6/6 for example) as soon as the child is old enough to read an eye chart.

5 years and older: At age 5, children should undergo an examination to check visual acuity and alignment. It is recommended that a pediatric ophthalmologist examine the child if the screening tests raise suspicion of strabismus, ""lazy eye"" (amblyopia), refractive errors (myopia, farsightedness, astigmatism) or another focusing problem.