Paediatric Eye Screening by Optometrist
A child’s visual system is not fully mature at birth. During early childhood, the children’s eyes are developing rapidly. It is important for a child to see clearly for the visual system to develop normally. If a child has high refractive errors (high degree), squint (misalignment of the 2 eyes) or anisometropia (imbalance of degree between the 2 eyes), it may affect the visual development and cause permanent irreversible loss of vision. This is called amblyopia.
Our screening is focused on detecting amblyopia, squint eyes and high refractive errors at a very early stage when they can still be treated effectively.
Amblyopia is commonly known as lazy eye. It is poor vision in eyes that have not developed well in the early childhood years. The condition is common, affecting approximately 1 to 4 out of every 100 people.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that all children have to be screened before the age of 4 years.
Our eye screening welcomes all children of age 6 months to 5 years old or older. Early eye screening at younger age picks up children lazy eyes, squints and high refractive errors at an earlier stage where they are more successfully treated.
- History Taking
- Visual acuity (if able)
- Cover Test and Alternate Cover Test (for squint check)
- Hirschberg test (for squint check)
- Fixation, following reflexes each eye and eye movements
- Red reflex (for media opacities or imbalance of degree)
- Video Retinoscopy or Autorefraction (for degree screening)
$80 + GST
- Like any other screening, this screening may fail to pick up all eye diseases as it depends on the child’s corporation on the day of exam. Younger children may also refuse certain tests.
- This screening is focused on detecting lazy eyes, squint eyes and high refractive errors.
- Even if all tests are normal, it is advisable to have regular screening every 6-12 months as a young child’s eye grows and develops rapidly.
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