Pediatric Low Vision Clinic

Our Pediatric Low Vision Clinic helps kids with all different levels of vision impairment improve their quality of life through accurate diagnosis and the most advanced treatments.

What is low vision?

Low vision is vision loss that is not treatable or reversed by other interventions. Low vision can’t be corrected fully with glasses, contact lenses, medication or surgery. Low vision results from any number of medical conditions that cause disease or damage to the eye or visual areas of the brain.

Some children are born with low vision while others can lose vision during childhood or young adulthood. It can affect everyday tasks such as reading, writing, recognizing faces, walking and moving. The severity of vision impairment is different for every child and having low vision doesn’t necessarily mean the child is blind.

Who we treat at the Pediatric Low Vision Clinic

Our clinic is dedicated to evaluating and helping children with low vision from age 5 through later teenage years.

About the Pediatric Low Vision Clinic

Our clinic offers comprehensive assessments to determine the extent of your child’s vision loss and the impact it has on their daily activities and development. Vision rehabilitation helps patients identify new strategies (both optical and non-optical) to assist them in their activities of daily living. Specialized visual aids may include telescopes, magnifiers, electronic devices, as well as personalized strategies to maximize a child’s remaining vision. We also work closely with low vision educators in the community to provide any additional support your child may need.

If your child is having trouble with their vision, you should first book an appointment with a pediatric eye doctor. Your eye doctor will be able to assess your child’s vision and ocular health and determine whether your child has low vision. If your child’s doctor diagnoses them with low vision, they can refer your child to our Low Vision Clinic.

What to expect during a low vision evaluation

Our low vision evaluations typically last about two hours, so we recommend additional family members stay at home or in the waiting room, if possible. Please remember to bring any corrective eyewear your child uses such as contact lenses or glasses. It’s also helpful to bring any reading or homework materials your child uses. We don’t dilate your child’s eyes with eyedrops during our exams.

Does my child still need comprehensive eye exams? 

Yes. While our clinic provides essential support and services, it’s not a substitute for comprehensive health exams conducted by a pediatric eye doctor. We do not perform ocular health examinations in the Clinic.

 Why choose us for low vision care?

At Children’s Hospital Colorado, everything we do revolves around making care better and more comfortable for kids. From the training our providers have to our care settings to our equipment designed specifically for kids and more, we put your child’s health first. Our pediatric eye care team offers: 

• Personalized care and educational support: We provide individualized and comprehensive assessments and treatment plans to enhance quality of life. We work with patients and their families to explore new strategies (both optical and non-optical) to maximize remaining vision. We offer resources and guidance for families, educators, and caregivers to support children with low vision.
• Multidisciplinary care team: We work closely with our adult low vision colleagues at UCHealth Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center at the University of Colorado Hospital. This allows expanded access to resources and materials for our patients as they grow into young adults.
• Access to experts in the field: We are one of only a few low vision clinics in Colorado specializing in pediatric low vision. Our providers are specialists in helping young patients with low vision and tailor evaluations to meet their specific needs.

Contact the Low Vision Clinic

For more information about our clinic, please call us at 720-777-2020. We offer this specialty clinic at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora.