Infant Eye Exams
Parents often ask us, "How can you tell what my baby sees?" or "How can you examine my child before he/she is able to read?" At Dankner Fiergang Eye Associates, we are specially trained to perform eye examinations on infants. Even though an infant is unable to read an eye chart, a very thorough exam can be performed. Through the use of simple toys, as well as very specialized equipment, the vision, focusing power, and structure of the parts of the eye (lens, retina, optic nerve and cornea) can be evaluated. With this examination, we are able to detect a wide range of problems from lazy eye to misaligned eyes and even less common problems like cataracts and, retinal abnormalities. Since earlier treatment usually gives better results than later treatment, examining your child’s eyes as an infant is often a good idea.
Child
Eye Exams
The staff at Dankner Fiergang Eye Associates has created a warm and friendly environment for children. The trip to the eye doctor is often an enjoyable experience for both the child and parent. The examination process takes place with items like picture games, colored flashlights, and 3-D pictures. Through the use of these items and other more sophisticated equipment, the child's exam can be performed in a very thorough and non-threatening fashion. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that all children should undergo a screening evaluation to detect eye and visual abnormalities during the newborn period and at subsequent intervals during childhood. An exam at three years of age is of particular significance because visual problems are very well detected at this age.
Special Needs Children
The staff at Dankner Fiergang Eye Associates is eager to help all children. Our offices are handicap accessible to facilitate examinations for children with special needs. We examine children with all types of physical, intellectual, and emotional disabilities. These children have a higher than average risk for vision problems. The vision problem can in turn exacerbate the child's disability. It may be difficult for parents to identify signs and symptoms of visual problems in their children, especially if the children have difficulty communicating. It is important for parents to know that a child who is unable to communicate can still have an accurate eye examination when performed by a skilled pediatric ophthalmologist.