This short video, created by the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus, explains what to expect during a child's eye exam with a pediatric ophthalmologist, including answers to questions such as:
During their first clinic visit, I will perform a complete eye examination for your child. This includes things like checking their vision, their eye alignment, and the -- many! -- different structures within the eyes. It also includes putting dilating drops in the eyes, which allow me to examine the optic nerve and retina, and to get an accurate refraction, checking for nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism.
Dilating drops for children take about 30 minutes to work. During this time, your child is free to play in our pediatric waiting areas, which are stocked with toys, movies, and the like.
For a visit in which we use dilating drops, plan on being in our office for about 1.5 - 2 hours. Because dilating drops are typically only needed annually, future visits are often shorter, on the order of 45 minutes.
Your time is important to us, and our team will do its best to provide thorough yet timely care.
