A pediatric ophthalmology examination can be much different than that for an adult. Vision is tested depending on the level of communication the child can participate with. For babies lights and other devices are used to evaluate tracking of the eyes. For pre-verbal children, matching games are used to evaluate vision. For older children, the letters are used to evaluate vision (similar to the way that vision is tested for adults). Frequently an adhesive patch is placed over the eye not being tested in order to ensure that the vision is truly being tested in one eye only. Pupil reactions, eye movements, and eye alignment are then tested in all patients, and then dilating drops are usually placed. These drops are used in order to remove the focusing ability of the eye temporarily (in order to measure whether the eye is hyperopic or myopic), as well as to dilate the pupil in order to visualize the retina and optic nerves.
