InfantSEE® 

At Omaha Primary EyeCare, we are proud to be a member of the American Optometric Association (AOA) and to be enrolled as InfantSEE® providers. InfantSEE® is a nationwide public health program designed to ensure that vision care becomes an integral part of infant wellness care to improve a child’s quality of life. 

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The program mandates that InfantSEE® exams do the following: 

  1. Identify and treat risk factors that may have adverse effects on eye and vision health.  
  2. Detect amblyopia (which affects up to 3 in 100 children) and other vision conditions early to help prevent vision loss and support healthy visual and cognitive development.
  3. Educate parents about the importance of eye care for their children.  

 

What does an InfantSEE® exam include? 

Through InfantSEE®, optometrists provide a one-time, comprehensive eye exam to babies in their first year of life. This exam occurs between the ages of 6 and 12 months, offering early detection of potential eye and vision problems at no cost. 

This assessment will examine: 

  • Visual acuity  
  • Refractive status  
  • Eye movement  
  • Eye alignment and binocular potential 
  • Overall eye health 

 

The stages of vision development 

Most parents believe that vision develops naturally and does not need to be checked until school age, when it has already fully developed. The truth is that vision is learned, and the most critical stages of vision development occur in the first year of life.  

The InfantSEE® program assists in ensuring babies are aligned with the proper stages of visual development: 

  • At birth: Eyes focus on objects less than a foot away, such as mom’s face when nursing.
  • By 3 months: Eyes follow moving objects, and the baby reaches for things. It is normal for a child’s eyes not to always track together for the first 6-8 weeks. 
  • By 6 months: Both eyes should focus equally, brainwaves demonstrate the ability to see 20/20 detail, and eye/body coordination skills develop. 
  • By 9 months: Eye contact begins to replace physical contact, and eye/body coordination skills develop further. 
  • By 12 months: A baby uses both eyes to judge distance. 

   

What is the goal of InfantSEE®? 

According to new data collected by the AOA, there is a growing need for early infant eye exams. The data showed that premature infants and minority babies face a higher risk of vision problems.

Though babies can’t talk, optometrists use their clinical education, training, and experience, along with instruments such as lighted toys, to provide non-invasive infant eye exams. We are proud to offer InfantSEE® exams in Omaha to help families ensure their child’s vision is developing normally. You can learn more about the program on the InfantSEE® website.

Schedule your baby’s InfantSEE® exam in Elkhorn today.

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