What Can a Pediatric Eye Exam Detect That a Vision Screening Cannot?

Vision screenings are short exams that confirm the presence of potential vision problems and eye disorders. However, there are limitations to vision screenings since they are generally done as quick checks at school. They will check for visual acuity and eye focusing skills. They also help detect whether a child has astigmatism, nearsightedness, or farsightedness.

 

A pediatric eye exam will give you an in-depth picture of their eye health. Here are some things it can detect that a vision screening cannot.

 

Visual Skills

Pediatric eye exams are functional. They go beyond checking for poor eyesight and pinpoint other issues. They also analyze a child’s visual skills since these may affect their learning ability. Children spend most of their time playing games, reading, or writing. These tasks require more than adequate eyesight. They also need the child to focus, track objects, reach out, and pick them. These skills will require visual motor skills and eye alignment.

Functional eye exams that check for these skills are beneficial for all children. However, children who are struggling in school need these exams. They go beyond vision screening and look at various visual skills.

Ocular Examination

These eye exams will check the health of your child’s eyes and closely examine them for abnormal bumps, swelling, or infection. The doctor will analyze their iris, cornea, and lens to rule out any ocular issues.

 

Detection of Eye Diseases

Although adult eye exams also detect eye diseases, pediatric eye exams are slightly different. While the former checks for signs of eye diseases like cataracts and glaucoma, the latter check for red flags. They examine the susceptibility of a child to develop the disease in old age. However, some eye diseases can start as early as infancy or teenage years. One of these is cataracts, which can affect infants.

 

When doctors detect these diseases, they can start early treatment and monitor the child. It helps them correct the issue early enough.

 

Accurate Measurement of Visual Acuity

Pediatric eye exams measure visual acuity more accurately than a vision screening does. During a vision screening, the child may need to look at some letters and try to read them. However, the eye exam will go beyond that. It will check how their pupils respond to the absence or presence of light. 

 

In addition to nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism, pediatric exams can detect other usual problems. These include convergence insufficiency, strabismus, and amblyopia. These may cause discomfort and double vision when reading.

 

They Check for Depth Perception

Measuring depth perception in infants may meet with complications. However, pediatric eye exams use preferential sight to examine the presence of depth perception. They will show the child two cards. One has patterns while the other is blank. Preference for the card with patterns shows that a child has depth perception.

 

Routine vision screenings may be helpful. However, they give a false sense of security. They may not take the time to check some of the above problems. A child’s development relies mainly on their visual abilities. Thus, ensure you take them for pediatric eye exams as early as six months.

For more information on pediatric exams and vision screening, contact Planet Vision Eyecare at our Lake Worth, Florida office. Call (561) 556-4600 to schedule an appointment today.