Infant and Children’s Eye Exams

At Pediatric Eye Care of Maryland, we are committed to making eye examinations an easy and stress-free experience for infants and children. With 3 board certified, fellowship trained pediatric ophthalmologists on staff who work alongside optometrists, orthoptists, and opticians, every member of our team has extensive experience with providing exceptional care to children of all ages. We have created a warm and friendly environment and we build relationships and trust with the infants and children in our care so that each visit is a positive experience.

Our approach with infants and children

We strive to go above and beyond to ensure that infants and children are comfortable in our offices. We want children to learn that visiting the eye doctor is an enjoyable experience, so we incorporate games, videos, and toys into our exams. Even some of the actual tests we do are fun for kids, which involve colored lights and 3-D pictures.Our offices are warm and friendly and all of our staff members have extensive experience working with infants and children.

We offer comprehensive eye examinations for infants, children, and adolescents (and often adults as well). With offices in Baltimore, Clarksburg, and Westminster as well as flexible hours that include evenings and weekends, we make eye exams convenient and comfortable for children of all ages.

Common conditions for evaluation and treatment

We are able to evaluate and treat a wide variety of common conditions, including amblyopia (“lazy eye”), strabismus (eye misalignment), and refractive errors (nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism).  We evaluate babies even just a few days old, especially those born prematurely who may be at risk for “retinopathy of prematurity”. Often something just “doesn’t look right” about a child’s eyes and parents want to make sure it’s nothing serious. Our ophthalmologists also specialize in problems involving the structures around the eye, such as tear duct obstructions, dermoid cysts, and chalazion. , We also can diagnose and treat pediatric cataracts, something many people don’t realize even occurs in children. In addition, we are able to accommodate same-day appointments for eye injuries, infections (such as “pink eye”),  and other emergencies.

There are many symptoms to watch out for that can indicate your child or infant is experiencing eye or vision problems. Be sure to schedule an appointment if you notice wandering or crossed eyes, sensitivity to light, unexplained headaches or clumsiness, squinting, and poor tracking of the eyes. Having a family history of eye problems at a young age is also a strong reason to have your child evaluated.

Infant eye exams

Many parents believe that eye examinations are impossible before a child is able to read an eye chart. After all, how are you supposed to be able to tell what a child can see when they cannot communicate with you? At Pediatric Eye Care of Maryland, we have extensive training in performing thorough eye examinations on infants. Using tools such as simple toys and advanced equipment, we are able to evaluate your infant’s vision, focusing power, and eye structure. Because early detection offers better treatment results for common conditions such as amblyopia (“lazy eye”), strabsimus (misaligned eyes), cataracts, and retinal abnormalities, it is important to visit an ophthalmologist who has experience with infant eye exams if you suspect a problem with your baby’s vision.