New eye tests at school?

Erin1700 · Feb 6, 2016

We got a letter from my son's school saying he needs to see an eye doctor. It says he shows anisometropia, which is unequal strength in his eyes and could be or lead to a lazy eye.

He said they used a "camera" to test his eyes, not the regular line reading thing. The only reason I happen to know what he is talking about is because I was in a Preschool for work last week, and I saw this used there.
It is an eye scan of some sort.

My son already has a well visit at the pediatrician scheduled next week, so I will bring the paper and talk to the dr. I am just wondering if anyone knows how reliable this test is and have your children used it.
My son just turned 9 years old. He presents with NO eye issues at all and if I read the paper correctly, it looks as if they wrote he has 20/20 vision. We see the peds dr regularly and he has had eye tests done before, but not this specific kind.

Hoping it is wrong! Anyone have any thoughts on this or experience?

bsblady01 · Feb 6, 2016

I would see if you can get him in with an eye doctor and have them look at him

Erin1700 · Feb 6, 2016

I think the pediatrician will send us to an eye dr.
When I called the peds today, they said since he is going on the 15th, to bring the papers and they will discuss it with us.

dotfurio · Feb 6, 2016

We still do the old read the lines eye test at school. They told us DD needed glasses but she passed the test at the optometrist. I think I'd just schedule an appt with an optometrist - does your insurance require a referral from the ped?

Erin1700 · Feb 6, 2016

We don't need a referral.
Glad to hear your DD didn't need glasses. I find it odd that my DS is 9 and we never had any problems with his eyes.
I wonder if he didn't stand still when they scanned them? That certainly might have happened!

bsblady01 · Feb 6, 2016

Erin1700 said:
We don't need a referral.
Glad to hear your DD didn't need glasses. I find it odd that my DS is 9 and we never had any problems with his eyes.
I wonder if he didn't stand still when they scanned them? That certainly might have happened!

I would ask his teacher if she has noticed anything with him when she is putting stuff on the board.

EmJay2001 · Feb 6, 2016

Bring him in to be properly tested by an optometrist. My daughter has a lazy eye (my mom and brother too). Our optometrist told me that a lazy eye normally presents itself by 3 or 4. So age nine seems quite old. My last son is 6 and he was given a pass on the lazy eye that is strong in my family.

The Mystery Machine · Feb 7, 2016

Erin1700 said:
We got a letter from my son's school saying he needs to see an eye doctor. It says he shows anisometropia, which is unequal strength in his eyes and could be or lead to a lazy eye.

He said they used a "camera" to test his eyes, not the regular line reading thing. The only reason I happen to know what he is talking about is because I was in a Preschool for work last week, and I saw this used there.
It is an eye scan of some sort.

My son already has a well visit at the pediatrician scheduled next week, so I will bring the paper and talk to the dr. I am just wondering if anyone knows how reliable this test is and have your children used it.
My son just turned 9 years old. He presents with NO eye issues at all and if I read the paper correctly, it looks as if they wrote he has 20/20 vision. We see the peds dr regularly and he has had eye tests done before, but not this specific kind.

Hoping it is wrong! Anyone have any thoughts on this or experience?

I would see an opthamologist personally.

My dh had improperly treated lazy eye and now as adult he has coke bottle glasses as a result.

tvguy · Feb 7, 2016

The Mystery Machine said:
I would see an opthamologist personally.

My dh had improperly treated lazy eye and now as adult he has coke bottle glasses as a result.

I agree. I think an Optometrist would have to refer you to an Ophthalmologist anyway since this is a medical condition that may not be within the training of just an Optometrist to treat.

anniemae · Feb 7, 2016

They will probably tell you to see an eye dr.

A pediatrician cannot diagnose eye diseases. They do not have the proper training or equipment. My dd's pediatrician called their eye exam the "poor man's eye test." It's just a basic "can you see this?" type of test to determine if there is a need for glasses, which would result in a referral to an eye dr. All children need to be seen by an Optometrist, or an Ophthalmologist by around age 5 from what I have heard. If they suspect an eye issue, it will probably be an Ophthalmologist that you will need since they can diagnose and treat.

mommysaurus · Feb 7, 2016

We still do the old fashioned test at the school where I work. Those tests are just a starting point. You are on the right track...talk to the ped and ask them to refer you to an opthamologist. Good luck!

mom2rtk · Feb 7, 2016

What they do is a screening, not a test. It's intended to get the right kids to go see a doctor for an actual test. It's been a while, but that's all our pediatrician did too. Definitely time to see the eye doctor!

mjkacmom · Feb 7, 2016

Ophthalmologist. Dd14 had one type of lazy eye (perfect vision). She had surgery at 3 to fix it. We were told she would lose her vision in that eye if not corrected. She also has failed her scholiosis test for the past couple of years at school. Her pediatrician says its mild, but will continue to monitor it.

Immadismom · Feb 7, 2016

Please take him to an eye doctor. My friend just found out that her 9 year old has a lazy eye, and he had no symptoms prior to this. He is wearing glasses now, but they are unsure that they will help, as it can be uncorrectable once it gets past a certain point. They did tell her once he finishes growing. She can have laser surgery done to correct it then. She had always relied on the basic eye tests done at school & the ped also.

Her experience prompted me to take DD13 to have her eyes examined also, because she has complained of some headaches lately. And, she's also in need of glasses. Her dad and I have both needed glasses since middle school, so I'm not sure why it didn't dawn on me before now that she may need them too. But, I had also been relying on the 'read the chart' tests they do at school & the ped. But when you go to an eye dr, they do so many more tests & look for so many other things than the basic chart test. She has an astigmatism, and trouble with focusing, which wouldn't have been caught without the eye dr visit.

Magpie · Feb 7, 2016

General question for everyone... At what age do you first bring your kids in to see a optometrist? Do you just wait until you or your child's school notices something wrong?

The reason I ask is because both my husband and I have crummy eyes, and get yearly checkups at our optometrist. So it was natural for us to begin bringing the kids in yearly, from about age 2. Our daughter got her first glasses at four. Our son got his when he was about eight. In Ontario, yearly eye exams and any followups are paid for by our provincial health care system, for anyone under 20 or over 65.

I think it's fantastic some schools are screening kids' vision with better tools than just an eye chart, but I would have thought taking your kid to the optometrist would be routine, just like a visit to the dentist, no?

Also, with regards to the OP, you can't necessarily tell if a kid needs glasses just by how they present. The kid won't know, because whatever vision they have is normal to them. And people are very good at compensating.

NewRVLady · Feb 7, 2016

Let me tell you-my parents and *I* had NO IDEA I had vision problems-I was a huge book reader, BTW

My 3rd grade teacher told my parents-just a note that I was squinting looking at blackboard
I ended up having VERY bad distance vision....

as long as I live , I will NOT forget the trip home with my brand new glasses-I kept exclaiming that I never knew you could read Billboards, could see the leaves on the trees, all the clarity was shocking to me

GO SEE AN EYE DR

anniemae · Feb 7, 2016

Magpie said:
General question for everyone... At what age do you first bring your kids in to see a optometrist? Do you just wait until you or your child's school notices something wrong?

The reason I ask is because both my husband and I have crummy eyes, and get yearly checkups at our optometrist. So it was natural for us to begin bringing the kids in yearly, from about age 2. Our daughter got her first glasses at four. Our son got his when he was about eight. In Ontario, yearly eye exams and any followups are paid for by our provincial health care system, for anyone under 20 or over 65.

I think it's fantastic some schools are screening kids' vision with better tools than just an eye chart, but I would have thought taking your kid to the optometrist would be routine, just like a visit to the dentist, no?

Also, with regards to the OP, you can't necessarily tell if a kid needs glasses just by how they present. The kid won't know, because whatever vision they have is normal to them. And people are very good at compensating.

I had heard around 4 or 5 for the first eye exam, unless there is an obvious problem. I would also suggest a pediatric Ophthalmologist. They know how to deal with young kids. Usually they do an extensive exam and dilate the eyes to get a good look. My dd had an obvious eye turn, so she went at age 2.

Jaime4004 · Feb 7, 2016

Magpie said:
General question for everyone... At what age do you first bring your kids in to see a optometrist? Do you just wait until you or your child's school notices something wrong?

The reason I ask is because both my husband and I have crummy eyes, and get yearly checkups at our optometrist. So it was natural for us to begin bringing the kids in yearly, from about age 2. Our daughter got her first glasses at four. Our son got his when he was about eight. In Ontario, yearly eye exams and any followups are paid for by our provincial health care system, for anyone under 20 or over 65.

I think it's fantastic some schools are screening kids' vision with better tools than just an eye chart, but I would have thought taking your kid to the optometrist would be routine, just like a visit to the dentist, no?

Also, with regards to the OP, you can't necessarily tell if a kid needs glasses just by how they present. The kid won't know, because whatever vision they have is normal to them. And people are very good at compensating.

I think it's great that schools do a screening. I didn't know my daughter needed glasses until she was tested at 8 at the pediatrician office with the old eye chart. Her vision was really bad and I had no idea! It ended up being about the same prescription as mine and I never go without contacts or I feel blind. I can't believe she was functioning so well in school like that. I kept saying, "How did I not see that?!?" Then looking back, I remember her sitting pretty close to the TV and little things like that. Son also was found to need them at 8 from the pediatrician screening but his vision wasn't nearly as bad. It is cute to see them get glasses for the first time and really see the details of the world

My youngest just turned 8 and so far so good with his vision, hoping i'll have one kid that doesn't need them!

Edited to answer your actual question

it is not routine to see an optometrist here, unless a problem is detected at school, home or doctors.

StitchesGr8Fan · Feb 7, 2016

I had a lazy eye too, but the kind that doesn't impact vision. I had surgery on both eyes at 6 to fix the muscle imbalance causing the problem. I'm now 35 and I still tend to use one eye at a time, and there is a several second delay between when the eyes focus.

A pediatrician can't diagnose eye problems, and a good one shouldn't even try. Call tomorrow and make an appointment with an opthomologist, as good one can be hard to get in to, and you want to nip this in the bud asap.

gwynne · Feb 7, 2016

Erin1700 said:
We got a letter from my son's school saying he needs to see an eye doctor. It says he shows anisometropia, which is unequal strength in his eyes and could be or lead to a lazy eye.

He said they used a "camera" to test his eyes, not the regular line reading thing. The only reason I happen to know what he is talking about is because I was in a Preschool for work last week, and I saw this used there.
It is an eye scan of some sort.

My son already has a well visit at the pediatrician scheduled next week, so I will bring the paper and talk to the dr. I am just wondering if anyone knows how reliable this test is and have your children used it.
My son just turned 9 years old. He presents with NO eye issues at all and if I read the paper correctly, it looks as if they wrote he has 20/20 vision. We see the peds dr regularly and he has had eye tests done before, but not this specific kind.

Hoping it is wrong! Anyone have any thoughts on this or experience?

I would make certain to take your son to an ophthalmologist. There is nothing wrong with having a chat with the ped, but of course they aren't eye doctors.

mom2rtk said:
What they do is a screening, not a test. It's intended to get the right kids to go see a doctor for an actual test. It's been a while, but that's all our pediatrician did too. Definitely time to see the eye doctor!

Mom2rtk makes a great point. Screenings aren't tests. They are used to flag kids for referrals.

New eye tests at school?

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