Infant Eye Care Bill FAQ's

Please take the time to read all of these questions and answers for complete information on this legislation. We have a Copyrighted Video of an actual exam.

Q: So what is the infant eye care bill legislation all about?
A: The current Florida statutes for eye screening are based on American Academy of Pediatrics standardized vision screening guidelines. If your pediatrician is following the laws of Florida, they are currently doing this vision exam, at the prescribed intervals, in a darkened room. In this bill, we are asking for one additional step - eye dilation prior to the screening exam. Some ocular diseases, that could blind or even kill a child, are not easily detected without dilation. Keep in mind that one in every 677 live births in the US are affected with a treatable eye disease or anomaly that will cause blindness, if left undetected. The drops used to facilitate the dilation can be administered by a nurse, prior to the exam. The drops themselves add a very minor amount of expense to the exam. Hence our statement - 10 seconds of additional time, and 10 cents for the additional cost.

Q: What is this eye examination called?
A: Red Reflex Exam(w/eye dilation) is an examination of the back part of the eyeball (fundus), which includes the retina, optic disc, choroid, and blood vessels.

Q: Is this exam safe for my child?
A: We have documents from several pediatricians and eye specialists who have administered this exam to literally thousands of infants. They reported no adverse effects.

Q: Will this exam be expensive for me?
A: This law, if instituted, will make the exam payable under your health insurance or health maintenance policy. The added cost of the drops to the pediatrician are about 10¢ and the added time expense is insignificant when compared to the rest of the well baby visit. Pediatricians who are currently performing this exam describe it as safe, simple, and cost effective.

Q: How is the test performed? 
A: First, you will be asked a few questions about any medication allergies your child might have and if there is a family history of eye or hereditary diseases. Your child will have dilating drops administered to each eye, usually by a nurse or assistant. Then, you will wait for a short time so that the pupils of the eye can dilate and allow the doctor to see through them clearly. The doctor will turn out the lights and use an instrument called an ophthalmoscope to view the child's eye, paying particular attention to the back of the eye.

Q: Will my child be affected by the dilating drops?
A: There may be a slight stinging sensation when the drops are administered and your child's visual focus may be slightly impaired for several hours after the exam. To help your child, you will want to keep them out of direct light. Sunglasses or a low riding hat help to avoid natural light.

Q: Will my infant cry and be uncomfortable?
A: This is hard to assess since most infants cry during routine well baby visits. Some of the other routine screening procedures or vaccinations agitate your child. With this exam, your baby does not have to be restrained in any way; so holding them in your arms during the exam may give them comfort.

Q: Are the dilation drops safe for my baby?
A: In large national and international studies done on premature babies, dilating drops have shown no evidence of significant side effects when administered properly.

Q: What will the doctor be able to tell by doing this exam?
A: A good ophthalmoscopic exam will help a doctor to determine if your child has a number of eye diseases or conditions; including cloudy vitreous, detached retina, optic nerve degeneration or swelling, cataracts, and changes caused by glaucoma or retinoblastoma.

Q: As a pediatrician, administering this test, should I be concerned about malpractice risk?
A: Administering this exam will allow you to document that the pupils were dilated and the red-reflex test results were negative, or help you to refer the child to a specialist for further evaluation if you see anything questionable. This should help you document your findings if there is any future diagnosis of eye disease. Keep in mind - this could save a child's life!

Q: Is this exam really necessary?
A: One in every 677 live births in the US are affected with a treatable eye disease or anomaly that will cause blindness, if left undetected. Early detection of any eye disease gives the child a better chance of being properly treated and recovering from the disease, prior to encountering the late stage effects or damage of the disease.

Q: Why do we need a law? Can't we just run awareness campaigns?
A: We believe that we need both. Awareness campaigns are important to alert parents to the correct method of doing this exam and what to expect; but if we do not legislate this, it will not necessarily get done by your pediatrician. This will leave your child's vision and life unnecessarily vulnerable. Many of the examination procedures that your pediatrician now performs during your well baby visits were not done until they were mandated by law. Most recently, the legislators have mandated hearing tests and blood testing for some hereditary diseases. And legally mandating this examination will help your physician receive reimbursement from health insurance and health maintenance companies for the additional expense he/she will incur. This is a win - win situation!