InfantSEE^® and more...

What is InfantSEE^® and why should we care?

• 1 in 10 children is at risk from undiagnosed vision problems.

• 1 in 30 children will be affected by amblyopia (lazy eye)—a leading cause of vision loss in people younger than 45 years of age.

• 1 in 25 will develop strabismus (crossed-eyes)—a risk factor for amblyopia.

• 1 in 33 will show significant refractive error such as nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.

• 1 in 100 will exhibit evidence of eye disease—e.g. glaucoma.

• 1 in 20,000 children have retinoblastoma (intraocular cancer), the seventh most common pediatric cancer.

--American Optometric Association

The InfantSee program is the product of a partnership between the American Optometric Association and The Vision Care Institute of Johnson and Johnson Vision Care, Inc and is managed by Optometry’s Charity™ - The AOA Foundation. Its mission is to provide all children in the United States with a free, comprehensive eye exam before their first birthday, though 9 months is considered the ideal age.

Data compiled from the 2009 InfantSee Weeks, where more than 1,000 comprehensive eye and vision assessments were conducted revealed that:

• 1 in 4 premature or minority infants displayed cause for concern.

• 1 in 4 infants in households with an annual income of less than $25,000 and 1 in 3 infants in households with annual incomes of less than $15,000 also displayed cause for concern.

Additionally, 2 cases of retinoblastoma were diagnosed. Especially alarming since the usual occurrences are 1 in 20,000. Since many eye conditions have no visual symptoms, early detection by a parent or a pediatrician during a well-baby checkup may prove difficult. InfantSee assessments are complementary to well-baby exams and Optometrists are trained to identify areas of risk that are critical to vision development.

In late December 2009, President Obama signed into law a measure that provides nearly $600,000 in new federal resources to help expand the scope and impact of the InfantSEE program. The first direct appropriation was sponsored by the late Senator Robert Byrd (D-WVA) totaled $500,000.

“Many parents of newborns do not know that the most dramatic development of a child’s visual system occurs within the first year of life,” said Sen. Byrd. “And it is through early detection and treatment of potential problems that parents can help ensure poor vision and eye health does not severely affect their child’s ability to learn and place them at a disadvantage in education and in life.”

The second direct appropriation of $90,000 was sponsored by Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and will support program expansion through outreach in Iowa.

“InfantSEE is doing much more than identifying and treating risk factors that may cause eye and vision problems later in life,” said Sen. Harkin. “They are taking prevention to a new level to ensure healthier, thriving children and lower health care costs down the road.”

Family history also plays a role in an infant’s visual assessment and factors that may indicate significant risk include:

• Premature birth, low birth weight, or oxygen used following birth.

• Family history of eye diseases such as retinoblastoma, congenital cataracts, or metabolic or genetic disease.

• Drug or alcohol use during pregnancy.

• Sexually transmitted diseases, cytomegalovirus, or HIV.

• Difficult or assisted labor, which may be associated with fetal distress or low Apgar scores.

In a 2008 survey conducted by the American Optometric Association, only 13% of parents made sure that their children received a comprehensive visual assessment in their first year and more than 7,600 participating Optometrists have offered to see every baby in this country, free of charge, during their first year of life.

Optical Options…after the exam

According to Julbo (www.julbousa.com), manufacturers of protective eyewear for all ages, children’s eyes absorb much more harmful solar radiation than adults, due in part to a totally transparent crystalline lens and a very large pupil. Protective sunwear is just as important for young eyes as it is for their parents. As an ECP, the best baby shower gift you can give or suggest is sunwear specifically designed for infants. You might consider including these very specific and sometimes difficult to find products in your sunwear displays.

How do you judge the quality of sunwear for infants and toddlers? Again according to Julbo, small children, up to age 3, look up to see everything so they need:

• Substantial coverage around the eyes.

• Flexible frames and strong lenses.

• Dark lenses that provide protection from UV A, B and C.

Julbo’s unique design allows their sunglasses to be worn upside down or right side up. They fit no matter what! That’s a great help when Mom is grappling with an active child.

Baby Banz (usa.babybanz.com) offers both polarized and non-polarized lens options for infants and toddlers. The frame has been redesigned to include an embedded silicone nose and brow piece for added comfort. Their testing and development was done in Australia, one of the most demanding UV environments and have passed the most stringent standards for sunglasses in the world including ASTM compliance. Baby Banz can also be ordered with clear UV-absorptive lenses for children who need extra eye protection including children with low vision, blindness, Stargardt’s Disease, eye injury/surgery recovery and other similar conditions. Baby Banz are RX-able.

Whatever happened to…Como frames for babies? Still available through several outlets, most notably at www.solobambini.com, the Como frame has been a favorite of ECPs for many years. Como Infant frames are made in Italy from soft plastic. The frame is hinge-less and is held on the child’s face using either a stretch or woven adjustable band. Available in sizes from newborn (31-15) to baby (36-14, 38-14, 41-16) and in a variety of transparent colors, they are an excellent choice for comfort, safety and function. Solobambini also offers its own frame line of RX-able eyewear for children of all sizes from infants and preemies to youngsters.

While there are many frame manufacturers who offer frames for young children, I’ll admit a preference for soft, flexible frames with a minimum of moving parts for infants. I dispensed them for many years with great success.