Recommended Examination Frequency For the Pediatric Patient
Patient Age | Examination Interval |
| | Asymptomatic/Risk Free | At Risk |
| Birth to 24 Months | At 6 months of age | By 6 months of age or as recommended |
| 2 to 5 years | At 3 years of age | At 3 years of age or as recommended |
| 6 to 18 years | Before first grade and every two years thereafter | Annually or as recommended |
Children considered to be at risk for the development of eye and vision problems may need additional testing or more frequent re-evaluation. Factors placing an infant, toddler, or child at significant risk for visual impairment include:
- Prematurity, low birth weight, oxygen at birth, grade III or IV intraventricular hemorrhage
- Family history of retinoblastoma, congenital cataracts, or metabolic or genetic disease
- Infection of mother during pregnancy (e.g., rubella, toxoplasmosis, venereal disease, herpes, cytomegalovirus, or AIDS)
- Difficult or assisted labor, which may be associated with fetal distress or low Apgar scores
- High refractive error
- Strabismus
- Anisometropia
- Known or suspected central nervous system dysfunction evidenced by developmental delay, cerebral palsy, dysmorphic features, seizures, or hydrocephalus
Recommended Examination Frequency For the Adult Patient
Patient Age | Examination Interval |
| | Asymptomatic/Risk Free | At Risk |
| 18 to 60 years | Every two years | Every one to two years or as recommended |
| 61 and older | Annually | Annually or as recommended |
Patients at risk include those:
- with diabetes, hypertension, or a family history of ocular disease (e.g., glaucoma, macular degeneration)
- working in occupations that are highly demanding visually or eye hazardous
- taking prescription or nonprescription drugs with ocular side effects
- wearing contact lenses
- who have had eye surgery
- with other health concerns or conditions.
