Vision Tests for 3-Year-Olds: What to Expect & Why They're Important

Vision problems can be most easily corrected if they are caught early, so children should receive vision tests as infants and before they enter preschool. Three is a great age for a comprehensive vision test and you should know what to expect.

Retinoscopy

• Children who receive an eye exam around the age of 3 will usually receive a retinoscopy. During a retinoscopy, a light is shined into the eye and reflected off of the retina (the part of the eye behind the lens). The test allows the doctor to access the child's need for an eyeglass prescription.

LEA Symbols

• Because young children may not yet know their letters and numbers, they cannot effectively complete the chart tests that are regularly given to adults. So, they receive a test that uses pictures of familiar objects such as a house, car and apple. Children must identify the symbols from a distance just as in an adult chart test.

Random Dot Stereopsis

• This test employs a pattern of dots viewed with 3-D glasses. It is designed to measure how well the child's eyes function together. It can reveal such problems with focus, astigmatism, amblyopia (lazy eye) and misaligned eyes (strabismus).