Pediatric Ophthalmology in Medellín
A child's eyes keep developing until school age: checking them in time changes the outcome
Children rarely complain that they cannot see well, because they have nothing to compare with. That is why eye checks follow age, not symptoms. MDE Care is not a clinic: we arrange the consultation with pediatric ophthalmologists in Medellín, from premature babies to teenagers.
From newborns to teenagers
eye checks by age
Which eye check does your child need, and how soon?
Answer four questions. We show you how soon the appointment should be, what the pediatric ophthalmologist checks at that age and how much the next step costs.
1How old is your child?
2Have you noticed any of these signs?
Check all that apply. If you have not noticed any, leave them unchecked.
3Does your child already wear glasses?
First visual acuity test
You did not check any warning signs. At 3 years old, visual acuity is measured for the first time with pictures or letters; after that, every year. It can be done by the pediatrician at the well-child visit or by the pediatric ophthalmologist.
Next step
- Visual acuity test for each eye
- Pediatric ophthalmology consultation if the screening shows something
- Repeat according to the age schedule
What the pediatric ophthalmologist checks
- Visual acuity with age-appropriate pictures or letters
- Eye alignment
Pediatric ophthalmology consultation, estimated price
COP 200,000to COP 320,000
Age-based eye exam, with dilation if the specialist recommends it.
* Estimated prices, confirmed at your assessment. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.
How much does a pediatric ophthalmologist cost in Medellín?
Build your child's case: the pediatric ophthalmology consultation, the exams charged separately and the follow-up visits. We show you the estimated total in Colombian pesos or US dollars.
First, the assessment
Everything starts with the pediatric ophthalmology consultation. The specialist examines the eyes according to age, measures the true prescription with dilating drops when needed and decides whether follow-up visits are enough or the child needs glasses, patching or another treatment.
What is included
- Consultation with the pediatric ophthalmologist
- Age-based eye exam
- Dilation and cycloplegic refraction when the specialist recommends it
- Prescription and written plan for the family
What changes the price
- The child's age and the exams needed
- How many follow-up visits the specialist recommends
- The clinic and the specialist assigned
1. Pediatric ophthalmology consultation
2. Exams that may be separate
3. Follow-up visits
The specialist decides how many and how often. Some can be done remotely when the specialist considers it safe.
4. If the specialist recommends treatment
Estimated total
COP 200,000to COP 320,000
Pediatric ophthalmology consultation
Breakdown
- Pediatric ophthalmology consultationCOP 200,000 to COP 320,000
* Estimated prices, confirmed at your assessment. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.
What a pediatric ophthalmologist checks
Pediatric ophthalmology diagnoses and treats eye and vision conditions from birth through adolescence: refractive errors, lazy eye, eye misalignment, congenital glaucoma and cataract, and childhood retinal diseases.
The idea that delays consultations the most is "my child sees fine because they do not complain". If one eye sees less, the brain learns to ignore it and the child does not even notice. Something similar happens with an eye turn: the brain suppresses the image from the turned eye and the child rarely reports double vision.
That is why eye checks cannot depend on symptoms.
Lazy eye (amblyopia)
Vision in one eye does not develop because the brain ignores it. It can be caused by an eye turn, a difference in prescription between the eyes, a cataract or a droopy eyelid.
Congenital and childhood glaucoma
High eye pressure from birth or during childhood. It usually causes tearing, sensitivity to light and squeezing the eyes shut, and sometimes a cloudy cornea or a larger eye. It affects about 1 in 10,000 births. In most cases surgery is the first-line treatment. For adults, see glaucoma treatment.
Retinopathy of prematurity
Abnormal growth of the retinal blood vessels in some babies born before 31 weeks or with very low birth weight. It is screened in the first weeks of life. When and how.
Refractive errors and childhood retina
Nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism are the most common reasons for a visit. If there is an eye turn, the next step is strabismus treatment, which has its own assessment.
When to have your child's eyes checked
This is a guide schedule: the pediatric ophthalmologist adjusts it to each child's history, for example if they were born premature or already wear glasses.
Birth to 6 months
Eye history, exam of the eyes and eyelids and of how the eyes move.
6 months to 2 years
Check of eye alignment and visual response. Between 12 and 36 months, photoscreening and ophthalmoscopy can be added.
At 3 years
First visual acuity test with age-appropriate pictures or letters.
Then, every year
From age 5, children are referred to the ophthalmologist if they cannot read at least 20/32 with each eye.
When to take your child to the ophthalmologist without waiting for the check
These signs are reason enough to book an appointment even if the next check is far off.
Lazy eye: why the time window matters
The best results come when it is treated before age 7 or 8. There is evidence that some treatments help even later, but the sooner treatment starts, the better.
Glasses
They correct the refractive error and are often the first step in treating lazy eye.
Patch or drops in the healthy eye
They force the brain to use the weaker eye. Correcting the cause is not enough: amblyopia needs its own treatment.
Follow-up visits
The specialist checks how the eye responds and adjusts the plan. Some visits can be done remotely when the specialist considers it safe.
Retinopathy of prematurity
It is an abnormal growth of the retinal blood vessels that appears in some premature babies. The exam is done for babies born before 31 weeks or with very low birth weight, 4 to 6 weeks after birth, and it is repeated depending on what the specialist finds.
When treatment is needed, laser, cryotherapy or anti-VEGF injections are used, depending on the case. It is managed by the pediatric retina specialist; retina surgery for adults is a different service.
Pediatrician screening or pediatric ophthalmology consultation
One does not replace the other: screening detects, and the pediatric ophthalmologist confirms and treats.
Pediatrician screening
Done at well-child visits: a check of the eyes, alignment and visual acuity according to age. Its role is to catch early what needs to go to the specialist.
Refers if something is not right
Pediatric ophthalmology consultation
Confirms what the screening suggests, measures the prescription with dilation and decides whether glasses, patching or follow-up visits are enough, or surgery is needed.
Diagnoses and treats
What the consultation is like for a child
The exams change with age, because a baby cannot read an eye chart and a schoolchild can.
| First check | From birth |
|---|---|
| Exams by age | Eye alignment and movement; photoscreening between 12 and 36 months; acuity with pictures or letters from age 3 |
| Dilating drops | They make it possible to measure the child's true prescription (cycloplegic refraction) and see the back of the eye |
| Length with dilation | About 1 hour |
| Effect of the drops | Blurry near vision for 6 to 24 hours; there may be facial flushing or drowsiness |
| School | Your child may need to miss school on the day of the exam |
| Consultation | COP 200,000 to COP 320,000, estimate |
| If you travel from another city or country | Later follow-up visits can be done remotely when the specialist considers it safe |
Why arrange your child's consultation with MDE Care
We are not a clinic: we are your coordination team. We connect you with pediatric ophthalmologists and accredited clinics in Medellín.
The right specialist
We take you to a pediatric ophthalmologist, not a general consultation, based on age and what you noticed.
Clear price for each step
You know from the start how much the consultation costs and what is quoted separately.
Coordination from start to finish
Appointment, exams, follow-up visits and, if you travel from another city or country, the logistics of your stay in Medellín.
Organizations that support our work
How we arrange the pediatric ophthalmology consultation
Support from your first message through the follow-up visits.
Tell us the case
Message us on WhatsApp with your child's age, what you noticed or the self-check result.
Booking
We arrange the appointment with the pediatric ophthalmologist and tell you how to prepare for dilation.
Consultation
The specialist examines the eyes according to age and measures the true prescription.
Plan
Follow-up visits, glasses, patching or another treatment, depending on the findings.
Follow-up
In person and remote when the specialist considers it safe.
Common questions about pediatric ophthalmologists
At what age should a child first see an ophthalmologist?
How much does a pediatric ophthalmology consultation cost in Medellín?
Up to what age can lazy eye be corrected?
Does my child need glasses if they do not complain?
What is the consultation like and how long does it take?
What is the difference between a pediatric ophthalmologist and an optometrist?
What is retinopathy of prematurity and who needs the exam?
Is congenital glaucoma treated with surgery?
Noticed something in your child's eyes?
Tell us what you saw and their age. We help you book with the pediatric ophthalmologist.
Other ophthalmology procedures
Have your child's eyes checked in time
Message us with their age, what you noticed or the self-check result. We arrange the pediatric ophthalmology consultation, exams and follow-up visits in Medellín, with a clear price from the first message.