InfantSEE® is a a public health program managed by Optometry’s CharityTM – The AOA Foundation. It ensures that eye and vision care becomes an integral part of infant wellness care to improve a child’s quality of life.
Under this program, AOA optometrists provide a comprehensive eye and vision assessments for infants within the first year of life regardless of a family’s income or access to insurance coverage.An InfantSEE® assessment offers early detection of potential eye and vision problems in addition to the eye screening conducted a baby will receive during a a pediatric well-care visit.
To make sure vision is developing properly, a comprehensive assessment between the ages of 6 months and 12 months is recommended. During an assessment, an optometrist can detect risk factors for many eye conditions,
- amblyopia (lazy eye)
- muscle imbalances
- retinoblastoma
- ocular diseases
Often times these eye conditions have no outward signs or symptoms and escape detection during a well-baby check-up. Significant risk factors for eye and vision disorders – including retinoblastoma, the seventh most common pediatric cancer – are often not detectable by base-level infant eye screening.
Volunteer InfantSEE® optometrists have access to additional AOA training in working effectively with babies and their parents. Optometrists know specific techniques to help them evaluate babies’ visual acuity, refraction, motility, alignment, binocularity and overall eye health.
To learn more about this program visit: www.infantsee.org