Roxboro Pediatrics - Eye Exam

Pediatric Ophthalmology provides routine Roxboro eye exams and ocular disease detection, monitoring, and treatment for conditions such as:

• Amblyopia (Lazy Eye)
  Amblyopia is reduced vision from lack of use in an otherwise normal eye. It usually happens only in one eye. Amblyopia occurs when the nerve pathway from one eye to the brain does not develop during childhood. This occurs because the abnormal eye sends a blurred image or the wrong image to the brain.
• Strabismus
  With Strabismus, the eyes are not aligned. One eye may gaze straight ahead while the other eye turns inward, upward, downward, or outward.
• Refractive Eye Problems refer to the inability of your eye to focus on the retina (at the back of your eye).

What to Expect for your Child’s First Roxboro Eye Exam

We provide a child-friendly environment for both the waiting room and the examination itself.

Your child’s vision will be carefully checked. Attention will be directed to the problem or concern; however, a complete exam is usually performed. This includes testing the eye muscle balance and stereopsis/depth perception, color vision testing in boys, examination of the outer and inner eye structures and a check for glasses. Young children must have dilating drops placed in their eyes prior to an accurate prescription for glasses. The prescription for glasses in young children is based on neutralizing a reflex off the back of the child’s eye using different lenses and does not require any response from the child. This test is called retinoscopy and an experienced retinoscoper will get very precise measurements of your child’s eyes. Glasses are prescribed when indicated.

You should allow at least two hours for the initial complete Roxboro eye exam. This includes time waiting for the eye dilation drops to work (usually 30-45 minutes). The eye drops used are designed for children/infants and will be uncomfortable for about a minute. As the drops begin to work, your child will have trouble seeing things up close for a few hours. The effects of the drops wear off in a few hours; however, the pupils may remain large and sometimes unequal for a few days. There is no need to warn the child ahead of time about the drops since the anticipation may be worse than the drops themselves.

Note: Your child’s pediatrician likely referred your child for a medical eye evaluation; therefore this exam will most likely be billed under your medical insurance, not your “vision plan.” Many insurance companies do not allow us to examine your child without a proper referral, so make sure you have the appropriate medical referral or authorization ahead of time. We want your child to have the best comprehensive care among their doctors; therefore, we will keep your child’s pediatrician informed as to your child’s condition by sending them a report of their Roxboro eye examination.

We look forward to seeing you and your child at their first eye exam!