Getting to the Root of Vision Problems in Children

Oh, the Snellen chart, with its lovely “E.” For 150 years, people have been reciting your letters, but we must say farewell, as there is a new kid on the block that is making vision problem detection less difficult and more precise.

We are pleased to announce the addition of the Spot Vision Testing Camera to our arsenal of diagnostic tools to help your family be its healthiest. The Spot device comes with a variety of clinical benefits over the Snellen chart. The most important benefit is that it works in children who are unable to speak or read, a challenge the Snellen chart has difficulty overcoming.

Spot is a handheld device that works on children as young as 6 months of age up to adulthood. During the Spot exam, the child sits down and looks into the front of the device where blinking lights are shown. The device is held 3 feet away, which is great for youngsters who like their personal space. Next, a bird chirps to capture the attention of young children. In a matter of seconds a series of photos are taken using infrared light. The photos are then analyzed to determine if their vision is “in range” or “out of range.”

Spot is able to detect a variety of vision problems including nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. It can also detect unequal vision power (anisometropia), eye misalignment (amblyopia), unequal pupil size (anisocoria), and eye structure problems. Spot supports American Academy of Pediatrics’ (AAP) screening guidelines for early detection of amblyopic risk factors

As with most health problems, time is of the essence. Spot’s ability to detect vision problems on young children is important for early intervention. We are offering the Spot vision test as part of a well-visit examination.

For more information on the Spot Vision Testing Camera, call our office at (910) 486-5437 or visit us online.