For the first year of their lives, development in infants is watched very closely. Any delay in the baby’s normal development—not crawling, not walking, not making any noise—are all red flags to pediatricians and parents. However, while it is common for parents to ensure that their baby is developing in these ways, did you know that less than 13% of parents check their infant’s visual development before the age of 2?
1 in 10 Children Are at Risk
Undiagnosed vision problems could account for a wide variety of learning difficulties later in life. It is suspected that 1 in 10 children have undiagnosed vision problems. These vision problems: convergence insufficiency, strabismus, amblyopia and others collectively constitute the fourth most common disability in the United States. It is not rare for these disorders to become a part of a child’s life, and it can be very discouraging for parents and children alike. Having your infant screened between the ages of six months and one year by an InfantSEE™ provider can uncover indications of these disorders early.
Early treatment means that the child’s vision can be properly corrected long before it is challenged through sports and academics.
Optometrists recommend that infants are screened at the ages of six months, two years, and four years. Despite this, 86% of children below the age of six have never had an eye examination. The InfantSEE™ program is all about changing that by raising awareness of the various vision disorders which can manifest themselves in infants.
An InfantSEE™ optometrist investigates basic questions about the infant’s vision development through tests and questions in order to uncover any manifested and potential issues with the child’s vision. Some of the questions an optometrist asks or tests for are:
- Does the infant’s background suggest a problem, such as family history or notes from a pediatrician?
- Can the baby see?
- Are the eyes straight?
- Are the eyes functioning properly?
If the optometrist detects any potential issues, it is possible for them to intervene as necessary and make the proper corrections. Incidents in the infant’s history which could adversely affect their vision include prematurity, low birth weight, multiple ear infections with the child, drug or alcohol use by mother during pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.
Regular vision screenings should start early. To do that, you need an experienced optometrist you can trust. Dr. Tod Davis is a licensed InfantSEE™ provider with over 30 years of optometric and vision therapy experience with children and adults of all ages.