How did the doctor know what glasses to prescribe for a baby or young child?
Fortunately there is a very easy way to determine the refractive error of any child’s eye, even one too young to provide feedback. This process involves using special drops to relax the focus and dilate the pupil of the eye. A special machine or hand-held light and lenses can then be used to determine the actual refractive state of the eye, so that the eye care specialist (usually a pediatric ophthalmologist in the case of young children) can decide what spectacles, if any, are needed. Not every child needs glasses, even if there is a small refractive error, and an ophthalmologist comfortable in the examination or care of children can determine whether or not glasses are needed.
