Vision Screening

A vision screening is a brief test that mainly checks how well you can see things up close and far away. It's also called an eye test. The test usually involves reading letters on an eye chart.

A vision screening is a quick way to find out if you need a comprehensive (complete) eye exam. A complete exam checks both your vision and eye health. It looks for signs of serious eye disorders that may not have symptoms, such as glaucoma.

Children usually have vision screening tests as part of routine health checkups. Older children may also have vision screening tests at school. For infants and toddlers, health care providers use different screening tests to check the health of the child's eyes and whether the eye muscles are working correctly.

Adults may have their vision screened during routine health checkups. But usually, their vision is screened as part of a complete eye exam from an eye care specialist. Eye care specialists who do complete exams include ophthalmologists and optometrists.

Ophthalmologists are medical doctors who diagnose and treat all types of vision and eye disorders. Optometrists have advanced training to diagnose are treat certain types of vision and eye disorders. Vision screening may miss certain types of eye disorders, so it's important for children and adults to have regular eye exams.

Your or your child's provider or eye care specialist can tell you how often to have eye exams.

Why this test is done

For adults, vision screening helps find out whether you need a complete eye exam from an eye care specialist. If you have vision screening as part of a complete eye exam, the test will show how well you're seeing at different distances, including with corrective lenses (eyeglasses or contact lenses). If you have problems with your eyes or vision, contact your provider or eye care specialist.

Babies and children need regular vision screening. This helps find and correct vision problems before they affect learning or cause permanent vision loss. Ask your child's provider how often your child should have vision screening tests.

In general:

• Newborns should be checked for eye infections and signs of other eye disorders.
• At 6 months to a year, eyes and vision should be checked during a regular well-baby visit. These tests are needed to check for early signs of strabismus.
• At 3 years, screening for near and far vision may begin for children who are able to describe what they see on an eye chart. This screening can be used with other tests to check for signs of amblyopia. All children should have at least one vision screening between age 3 and 5.

If your child has symptoms of an eye disorder, a vision screening may help decide if an exam from an eye care specialist is needed.

For babies under a year old, symptoms include:

• After 3 months: Not being able to follow a moving toy or other object with their eyes.
• After 4 months: Eyes that don't look properly lined up. Before 4 months, it's normal if your baby's eyes briefly look in different directions from each other.

For older children, other symptoms of vision problems include:

• Squinting or frowning
• Closing or covering one eye
• Trouble reading and/or doing close-up work
• Complaining that things are blurry
• Blinking more than usual
• Crankiness when using close-up vision, such as looking at books
• One or both eyes that are watery, red, swollen, or crusted

How to prepare

If you or your child wears glasses or contact lenses, bring them with you to the screening. Your provider may want to check the prescription.

Other names for this test

eye test, vision test