Our optometrists are frequently asked when children should be seen by the eye doctor.  The simple answer: “as soon as possible.”  There are a variety of eye conditions that are much easier to address if they are diagnosed early.  According to the American Optometric Association, of the three to four million babies born every year in the United States, 1 in 20,000 has retinoblastoma, 1 in 25 will develop strabismus, and 1 in 30 will develop amblyopia.

InfantSEE is a national program that Dr. Abert and Dr. Pedroza participate in.  The idea behind this program is to build awareness of the importance of children’s eye care, examine kids’ eyes, and offer our services to the communities of Thornton, Brighton, Northglenn, and Westminster.  InfantSEE exams are comprehensive eye and vision examinations performed on children age 6 to 12 months of age.  Those exams are scheduled for 30 minutes, during which the child can sit on the parents’ lap.  Our eye doctors will check for a glasses prescription (nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism).  The doctor will check the refractive status, as well as a thorough patient history, eye movement, eye alignment, and the health of the front and back of the eyes.  After the exam is done, the health and status of your baby’s eyes are reviewed with the parents and a summary letter is sent to the child’s pediatrician (and a copy is sent to the parents for their own records).  It isn’t too often that infants need to be prescribed glasses, though when they are prescribed, those glasses are usually to make sure the eyes and vision are in a good position to develop normally.

Getting your child’s eyes checked early is a great way you can help ensure that their eyes will develop to their fullest potential.  In fact, one in every 10 children is at risk from undiagnosed eye and vision problems, yet only 13% of mothers with children younger than 2 years of age have taken their babies to see an eye doctor.  Call our office today to schedule an appointment for yourself and for your children! (303) 450-2020.