I had not. Thanks to BSM Media/MomSelect for giving me the opportunity to see what this test is all about and to bring you, my readers, the information. All opinions stated are my own based on my personal experience.
A Houston-area pedriatrician, Karen Urbani, M.D., is offering a unique test to detect vision problems in children as young as 6 months old. It tests for visual defects, including amblyopia, optic nerve disorders, and refractive errors. It is the first and only one of its kind.
When you normally take your kids to the doctor, they perform the normal test. They ask our kids to follow the doctor's finger. But now, there is this wonderful test that can catch vision problems early. The test is less than 7 minutes. It doesn't require any sedation or dilation. There are no crazy, scary machines that tramautize our kids. The test is kid-friendly and of course independentmami approved. The pictures and music are animated and very entertaining. The kids forget what they are there to do.
We arrived early to Dr. Karen Urbani's office. We were greeted by a very friendly staff. Right away we were attended by the office manager which introduce us to Dr. Karen Urbani, and our nurse. They were both very friendly. The nurse explained everything she was about to do, and walked us through every step. My son knew what to expect. They cover one eye at a time which a pirate's patch. I told you, kid-friendly. Three sensors are attached all over his head. He sat in front of a computer screen. The lights went off. The test started. He watched as pictures appeared, then lines, then pictures. (The Enfant uses technology called Visual Evoked Potential (VEP), which evalutes our kids response to an external stimulus alont the entire visual pathway from the lens of the eye to the visual vortex of the brain.) The test was over. Yes, that simple. A print out of the results was given to me to take home. My son had no significant differences identified and does not need corrective lenses. This was great to hear. I asked my son, "Was the test easy?" "Yes" "Did it hurt?" "No" Afterwards Dr. Karen Urbani came in to the room to talk to us. These are the questions I asked:
Who is this test recommended for?
All kids starting from 6 months to age 8.
How often should kids be tested?
Every year, once a year. (routine annual well check up)
If my son would have failed the test what is the next step?
Set up an appointment with a Pediatric Opthamologist. By properly identifing problems early on, some vision problems can be fixed.
How long has this test been available?
This test has been available. But Dr. Karen Urbani's office has only had it available since last July.
How much does it cost?
Depending on the region/city, the test can run anywhere from $75 to $100. But, in most cases, it is reimbursable by insurance.
(But really can we put a price on vision. To me it is priceless. My mom did not know my little brother needed glasses until 3th grade. By that time he had already failed many tests and had many problems in school because he could not see the board.)
For more information or to schedule a vision test, contact Dr. Karen Urbani at (281) 499-6300. Her office is located at 5819 Highway 6,ste. 300, Missouri City, TX., 77459.
Vision therapy exercises the eyes and helps both eyes work as a team. Vision therapy for someone with amblyopia forces the brain to use the amblyopic eye, thus restoring vision.
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