Doctors Misdiagnosing Children's Vision

June 25, 2004

As many as 20 percent of children with normal vision are being prescribed glasses that they don't need, says a new study out of Vanderbilt University. Because many children are born with vision problems - such as farsightedness - that they outgrow as their vision develops, many doctors have a difficult time diagnosing true vision problems.

The study of more than 100,000 preschoolers' eye exams found that eye care practitioners who regularly treat adult patients often have difficulty accurately diagnosing children. Parents are advised to seek out doctors with experience treating young patients, and ensure that doctors use an age-specific vision chart or an objective test like a retinal scan before settling for glasses.

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