Child with a squint or lazy eye (amblyopia): see a paediatrician, an optometrist or an ophthalmologist?
Parents who suspect their child has a squint should consult a family doctor, a community optometrist or an ophthalmologist (Department of Health Family Health Service, ‘Squint & Pseudosquint in Young Children’, revised August 2019); children who fail preschool vision screening with only a common refractive problem are advised to have a detailed examination by a community optometrist, and those with suspected amblyopia, a squint or a severe refractive problem are referred to a specialist eye clinic (Family Health Service, ‘Pre-School Vision Screening’, revised February 2022).
My child has a squint: who should we see?
A squint that is not treated in time may lead to poor visual development in the squinting eye, resulting in amblyopia; parents who suspect their child has a squint should consult a family doctor, a community optometrist or an ophthalmologist (Department of Health Family Health Service ‘Squint & Pseudosquint in Young Children’ information, content revised August 2019).
Pseudosquint is more common in babies and young children; the eyes only look misaligned because the bridge of the nose is broad and flat; it does not itself affect visual development and does not need treatment, but parents should still watch whether the child develops other eye problems later (Family Health Service ‘Squint & Pseudosquint in Young Children’ information, August 2019).
How an individual child's condition is managed is decided by the doctor or ophthalmologist according to the examination results.
What happens after failing preschool vision screening?
Maternal and Child Health Centres provide vision screening for preschool children aged four to five, carried out by registered optometrists or orthoptists; for children who fail the screening, the Maternal and Child Health Centre makes the arrangements in the table below according to the result (Department of Health Family Health Service ‘Pre-School Vision Screening’ information, Chinese version content revised February 2022, reprinted February 2026).
| Screening result | Arrangement, according to Family Health Service information |
|---|---|
| A common refractive problem only | A detailed refraction examination by a community optometrist is advised |
| Suspected amblyopia, a squint or a severe refractive problem | Referral to a specialist eye clinic for follow-up |
What if my child passes screening or already wears glasses?
Children who already wear glasses do not need vision screening and should have regular check-ups as instructed by their optometrist or ophthalmologist; passing the screening does not rule out conditions such as long-sightedness, short-sightedness and astigmatism, and parents who have concerns can arrange a refraction examination for their child (Family Health Service ‘Pre-School Vision Screening’ information, content revised February 2022).
Primary care professionals are recommended to carry out vision screening at least once for all children between the ages of 3 and 5 to detect amblyopia or its risk factors (Health Bureau Primary Healthcare Commission, Preventive Care for Children reference framework overview, revised September 2019).
Ophthalmology is responsible for vision problems and the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the eye and surrounding tissues (Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, Specialty Descriptions, April 2025); for choosing an ophthalmologist, see How to choose an ophthalmologist, and for private consultation fees, see Private ophthalmologist fees compared.
Frequently asked questions
My child has a squint: see a paediatrician or a paediatric ophthalmologist?
Parents who suspect their child has a squint should consult a family doctor, a community optometrist or an ophthalmologist; a squint not treated in time may lead to amblyopia (Department of Health Family Health Service ‘Squint & Pseudosquint in Young Children’ information, content revised August 2019).
Child with amblyopia: see an optometrist or a paediatric ophthalmologist?
Children who fail screening with only a common refractive problem are advised to have a detailed examination by a community optometrist; those with suspected amblyopia, a squint or a severe refractive problem are referred to a specialist eye clinic for follow-up (Department of Health Family Health Service ‘Pre-School Vision Screening’ information, Chinese version content revised February 2022).