Guidelines for pediatrician referrals to the ophthalmologist.

It is common in pediatric ophthalmology to see children with eye disorders that have gone undetected for years. Many conditions can progress slowly, are not painful, or are unilateral so as not to be bothersome to the child or noticeable to the parent or physician. Pediatricians often ask what they could have done to confirm the presence of the condition and whether the child should have been referred for specialty examination. The guidelines set forth in this article should clarify for the pediatrician which children warrant referral to the ophthalmologist.