The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends the following schedule for children’s eye examinations.

Infants
A pediatrician, family physician, nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant should screen a newborn’s eyes for general health in the nursery.  By six months of age, all infants’ eyes should be screened by a health care professional (ophthalmologist,  primary care provider, family physician, pediatrician or other health care professional).  An infant should receive a comprehensive eye examination whenever there are questions about his or  her eye health. No infant is too young for an eye examination.

Before Age 5
Since it is possible for your child to have a serious vision problem without being aware of it, your child  should have his or her eyes screened at ages three and five by an eye care professional or physician for eye conditions such as:

• Strabismus (crossed eyes)
• Amblyopia (lazy eye)
• Ptosis (dropping of the upper eyelid)
• Refractive errors (nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism)

If there is a family history of vision problems or if your child appears to have any of the above
conditions speak to your physician or ophthalmologist right away about when and how often your child’s eyes should be screened.

Age 3 to 19
To ensure your child’s or teenager’s eyes remain healthy, he or she should have his or her eyes
screened every one to two years during regular check-up appointments.