AOA’s InfantSEE program helps detect vision problems in children less than one year old.

North Dakota’s Dickinson Press (3/6) reported that, according to optometrists, “catching sight problems early is best.” The American Optometric Association’s (AOA) InfantSEE program “helps detect vision problems in children less than a year old.” While “the program was launched in the summer of 2005,” some “are still unaware it exists.” Participating optometrists “volunteer their time for the appointments, since they are not compensated in any way,” providing “one free eye exam for children younger than a year old.” Optometrist Nate Shilman, OD, pointed out that the tests used “for infant exams are objective, since babies are unable to answer…questions” about their vision. For example, a card with a “striped pattern on it…can help further detect vision issues.” He explained, “If you know the distance between those lines, and how big those lines are and you hold it at a certain distance, that correlates to what their visual acuity is, just like the big ‘E’ on a chart.”