Baby's Eyes: Why Have Them Checked?

The Optometry Association of Louisiana is proud that many of our member doctors provide FREE comprehensive eye exams for babies between 6 & 12 months of age.

Even if no eye or vision problems are apparent, the American Optometric Association recommends scheduling your baby's first eye assessment at 6 months.

Things that the Optometrist will test for include:

• excessive or unequal amounts of nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism
• eye movement ability
• eye health problems

These problems are not common, but it is important to identify children who have them at this young age. Vision development and eye health problems are easier to correct if treatment begins early.

InfantSEE®, a public health program, managed by Optometry Cares® - the AOA Foundation, is designed to ensure that eye and vision care becomes an essential part of infant wellness care to improve a child's quality of life. Under this program, participating optometrists provide a comprehensive infant eye assessment between 6 and 12 months of age as a no-cost public service. Click here to learn more and locate a doctor in your area who can provide the free infant assessment.

 

 

Baby’s Eyes: Why Have Them Checked?

Optometrist Cynthia Baker recalls the day she discovered that 11-month old Emory had cataracts. Like all newborns, his eyes were checked before he left the hospital, but his cataracts weren't advanced enough to see until his mother brought him in for a thorough eye exam. "Instead of the lens being clear, there was a very opaque spot like a smudge on the lens," says Baker. Emory had surgery to remove his cataracts. Now, Emory is 12 years old and is doing amazingly well!  Read his updated story by CLICKING HERE.