First year of life – screening performed by paediatricians or family physicians:
- Observation: detection of morphological alterations;
- Evaluation of the red reflection of the eye fundus (pupillary reflexes);
- From 3 months onwards: evaluation of the capacity to fix the eyes on human faces, lights and objects, and to follow their movement;
- From 6 months onwards: evaluation of eye centring and ocular movements;
- From 6 months onwards: evaluation of the reaction to the occlusion of each eye.
Between 1 and 3 years old – screening performed by a paediatrician or a family physician:
- Observation: detection of morphological alterations;
- Evaluation of the red reflection of the eye fundus (pupillary reflexes);
- Evaluation of the capacity to fix the eyes on objects and to follow their movement;
- Reaction to the occlusion of each eye;
- Evaluation of eye centring and ocular movements.
Between 1 and 3 years old – screening preferably performed by an ophthalmologist: very important, but optional.
It adds to a paediatrician’s examination:
- Refractive examination capable of diagnosing alterations causing amblyopia and strabismus;
- Examination of the eye fundus capable of diagnosing other causes of poor sight.
3 – 4 years old – obligatory screening – performed by a paediatrician or a family physician or another skilled practitioner, ideally an ophthalmologist.
- Observation: detection of morphological alterations;
- Evaluation of the red reflection of the eye fundus (pupillary reflexes);
- Measurement of the monocular visual acuity with a scale adequate for the child’s age and cognitive capacity;
- Refractive examination (auto-refractometer or preferably manual refractometer);
- Bifixation tests (for example, Lang’s Test);
- Examination of the eye fundus by an ophthalmologist.
6 years old – obligatory screening – performed by a paediatrician or a family physician or another skilled practitioner, ideally an ophthalmologist.
- Observation: detection of morphological alterations;
- Evaluation of the red reflection of the eye fundus (pupillary reflexes);
- Measurement of the monocular visual acuity with a scale adequate for the child’s age and cognitive capacity;
- Refractive examination (auto or manual refractometer);
- Bifixation tests (for example, Lang’s Test);
- Examination of the eye fundus by an ophthalmologist.