The eye test should be done at the maternity hospital, preferably from the 2nd day of life onwards, and aims to check if there are any changes in the baby's eyes that may interfere with his vision.
This test can be done by both the pediatrician and the ophthalmologist and consists of a simple, quick exam that does not cause pain or discomfort to the baby.
When to do the eye test
The Ministry of Health recommends that the eye test be performed on all newborns after the 2nd day of life, so it is possible to identify any change in vision early and start treatment if necessary.
The eye test is a simple, quick test that does not cause pain in the baby and can be done by the pediatrician. However, if any type of alteration is found, it is important that the newborn is evaluated by an ophthalmologist in order to make a more detailed analysis of the baby's eye and, thus, make the diagnosis and start treatment.
What is the eye test for
The eye test is important to identify any change in the baby's vision, such as congenital cataracts, glaucoma, retinoblastoma, high degrees of myopia and hyperopia and even blindness.
This test is done with the use of a proper device that emits a beam of light that allows identifying whether or not there is a change in the baby's eye. This test is considered normal when illuminating the newborn's eye, a red reflection is observed. Learn more about how the eye test is done.
