20/40 20/25 for 4.5 year old kid

[Sai_nsp]

Hi,

I have a 4.5 year old kid whose vision test results at early childhood screening are as follows

Left eye: 20/25
Right eye: 20/40

Worried if he is going to need glasses.

Pls advise.

[Sai_nsp]

Thanks for the response.
I did make an appointment with a pediatric ophthalmologist, but it is in the month of April(long time).  

Just anxious, so we went to an optician in the meanwhile. He tested the boy's eyes in a machine, and immediately said, "Right eye has -1 sight"
I was very worried.

Then, he made him read the standard eye chart and concluded that the right eye has 20/40, while the left one is 20/25, so prescribed glasses.

1.  My first question is if 4 year kid and adults have to read the same standard chart OR do kids have a different chart to read?
Because, at the annual pediatric physical exam, they made him read a different chart made of shapes and he did awesome, they said, he has no vision problems at all.

2. Second question is if 20/40 is okay for four year kids. Is 20/40 a real problem?

3. My third concern is about the medical conditions like lazy eye, which anyway will be diagnosed at the pediatric ophthalmologist exam in April.

I am more concerned about his short sight of -1 that the optician looked up in the machine.


Thanks for your time.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

A screening is not a medical eye exam. Ask your pediatrician to refer your child to a ophthalmologist for a complete exam which will include retesting vision, checking for eye muscle problems, eye disease, amblyopia and glasses testing.  If you have other children have them checked also as eye problems often run in families.

JCH MD