Ophthalmologist aims to inspect vision of South Florida children

Amblyopia is one of the leading causes of vision loss in children, and according to CBS4, a doctor in Broward, Florida, is attempting to quell the problem by screening every child in South Florida for free. Ophthalmologist Dr Bruce Miller is using the opportunity to inform the public about Amblyopia which he says can be easily detected.

The condition, which is commonly called lazy eye, is caused by one eye having decreased refractive power. This results in the other eye having to work harder to compensate, which can lead to vision loss. The problem can effect people without them even realizing, as the news source reports 5-year-old Sara Beer was diagnosed with the condition much to the surprise of her parents.

"She read. She colored. She rode her bike. She did everything as if she could see fully with both eyes. I don't think she knew that she couldn't," her mother Jennifer Beer told the news provider.

The American Optometric Association (AOA) reports that scheduling an eye exam for children between the ages of 2 and 5 is especially important since that is a crucial time for visual development. The AOA adds that a comprehensive eye exam is important because ordinary vision screenings can miss 60 percent of vision problems.