UAB Medicine News

Children are often overlooked as a population in need of routine eye exams and vision screenings. Early vision screenings help detect the presence of disorders at an early stage when treatment is more likely to be effective, identifies children who may be at a high-risk for eye disease, and provides valuable information and education about eye health. All children, even those who show no signs of vision impairment, should have a comprehensive eye exam.

The ability to see clearly isn’t an automatic response. A child’s brain learns how to use eyes to see, just as the brain uses legs to walk or the mouth to speak. The longer a vision problem goes undiagnosed and untreated, the more a child’s brain learns to accommodate the vision problem. This dilemma makes eye exams invaluable to children.

Uncorrected refractive errors such as myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism in preschool-age children are associated with delays in school readiness. Other significant vision conditions, such as glaucoma and cataracts, among children can also be detected during a screening. To provide for this need, Callahan Eye Hospital has formed a partnership between ophthalmologists and optometrists to increase pediatric patient access to care.