Detecting Vision Problems Early-Review

As some of you know Golfergirl was born 6 1/2 weeks early, so we are very familiar with all of the checks and tests that need to happen for premature kids. Sometimes one area that needs to be checked that is overlooked is Vision Testing. When she was young, she was diagnosed with Amblyopia.

What is Amblyopia?
Amblyopia is reduced vision in an eye that has not received adequate use during early childhood. This is also know as "Lazy eye"

Golfergirls Amblyopia was found early and treated with eye patches and she now wears glasses. Looking at her now you would never know she had a lazy eye.

What causes amblyopia?

Amblyopia, also known as "lazy eye," has many causes. Most often it results from either a misalignment of a child's eyes, such as crossed eyes, or a difference in image quality between the two eyes (one eye focusing better than the other.)

In both cases, one eye becomes stronger, suppressing the image of the other eye. If this condition persists, the weaker eye may becomes useless.

What happens if amblyopia goes untreated?

If not treated early enough, an amblyopic eye may never develop good vision and may even become functionally blind.

Although vision assessment beginning at birth has been endorsed by major pediatric and ophthalmologic medical associations, recent studies estimate that only 21% of all preschool children are screened for vision problems and only 14% receive a comprehensive vision exam.

In an effort to shed light on some of the more subtle warning signs of vision problems in young children, Diopsys, Inc., developer and marketer of the EnfantTM Pediatric VEP Vision Testing System, has created an online vision assessment quiz at www.freevisionquiz.com.

The physician-reviewed, informational quiz, which takes only a few minutes to complete, is comprised of multiple-choice questions covering several areas that can “red flag” signs of a potential vision problem in children of various ages, including such actions as the inability to make steady eye contact, or involuntarily covering one eye to see something better.