Your child should have their eyes screened by an eye health professional at birth and during infancy, and followed up with regular examinations through school.

This is particularly important if there is a family history of childhood eye or vision problems and/or if there are any signs that their sight has deteriorated.

• Premature babies (low birth weight). Premature babies are at increased risk of eye problems. These babies require examination by an ophthalmologist from an early age.
• Newborns. Eye examination is essential to detect any abnormality. Seek referral from your GP for treatment by an eye specialist (ophthalmologist).
• Six to eight weeks of age. Infants should be fixing and following their parents’ faces as a guide, and eye movements should be normal. Turned or crossed eyes require immediate examination from your GP and referral to an ophthalmologist for further assessment.
• Up to three years of age. The symptoms listed above for children aged six to eight weeks also apply to children aged up to three years. Lazy eye (amblyopia) is a condition that can only be treated in childhood. If it remains untreated, damage and vision loss can be permanent.
• Pre-school aged children. Eye screening is critical in the detection of lazy eye or other causes of poor vision. These are often undetected as there are few outward signs. Lazy eye can occur in up to two percent of young children. Early treatment of lazy eye is important as it allows correction. It is not possible to improve vision at an older age.
• Up to six years of age. Difficulty with vision at school for reading or board work, or complaints of difficulty when viewing television. These symptoms may indicate a simple need for spectacles when more serious conditions are excluded. With any vision difficulty, it is best to have the eyes examined by a GP, optometrist or ophthalmologist to prevent a possible condition from worsening.
• At any age. Painful or itchy eyes, red irritable eyes or eyes discharging water or mucus suggest infection or inflammation. See your GP immediately.