Medical Eye Exams for Children in Hershey, PA
KinderSee
If a child cannot see, they cannot learn. Proper eye care and vision correction can dramatically improve a child’s learning experience in and out of school, and prevent vision loss. Early detection of eye issues for children can be key in their care.
KinderSee is a pediatric eye care clinic that began in George Washington Elementary School as an affiliation with the School District of Lancaster. Currently, the clinic is located on the lower level of our Hershey office.
KinderSee allows children (ages 0-17) with medical eye issues to receive treatment and glasses who might otherwise not be able to see a pediatric ophthalmologist or optometrist. During these visits, patients received a complete eye exam comparable to a regular visit in the main office office, at no cost to the family. Those who need glasses are prescribed them at the time of their medical visit.
David I. Silbert, MD, FAAP, a pediatric ophthalmologist, and Hayley Woodall, OD, a pediatric optometrist, perform medical eye exams on children who have failed a vision screening, have a family history of eye disorders, or who have medical eye issues which need to be monitored.
The KinderSee clinic accepts children from Dauphin, Lancaster, and Lebanon Counties.
Over 15 years of Pediatric Community Care
History of KinderSee
In the Fall of 2007 David Silbert, MD, FAAP launched an eye clinic in an inner-city elementary school. Located in George Washington Elementary School (Lancaster, PA), the SDOL holds a racially and economically diverse population of students, the majority being Hispanic at 55%. After receiving a $135,000 federal grant in 2009, the KinderSee team purchased equipment to outfit a dedicated eye clinic to treat the in-need population.
Every month during the academic school year, Dr. Silbert brought his team of skilled ophthalmological staff to see students throughout the School District of Lancaster.
In the last nine years, Dr. Silbert and his team have seen more than 2,500 children in the KinderSee clinic: examining, treating, and performing surgery on hundreds of children who may not have received care otherwise.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I expect from my child’s first KinderSee appointment?
For your child’s first appointment, here’s what you can expect:
- Our receptionist will greet you and have you verify your contact and insurance information.
- You will then be seated in our waiting area for screening.
- When it is your child’s turn they will be taken back to have special photos taken to show your child’s eye alignment, ability to focus, and gives us an estimate if your child has myopia, hyperopia, or astigmatism. If your child wears glasses we will also read them at this time. (Please bring their glasses to their appointment if they have a pair.)
- Your child will then go to see the technician, where they will have measurements done looking for: visual acuity at distance and near, eye alignment, depth perception, and ability to focus. We will also ask you about issues you may be noticing in your child’s vision.
- Your child will receive a set of dilating drops, which may make the vision blurry and the eyes light sensitive. These symptoms should wear off by the next morning. The eye drops take between 30-60 minutes to work. Your child may get 1 or 2 more sets. Once the eyes are dilated we will take a different picture of the eyes and the technician will check their vision one more time to see if it can be improved with glasses.
- Your child will then see the pediatric ophthalmologist or optometrist, who will do additional measurements and will exam the eye from front to back. They will let you know if there are any issues with the eye alignment, if your child needs glasses, or if they finds any other problems and how they should be addressed. He will also let you know when your child should be seen again.
- You will then check out. If your child needs glasses we have a selection to choose from, and depending on your insurance, there may not be any out-of-pocket expense for the glasses. You will be given a summary of the visit and an excuse for school, if needed.
Please understand that the KinderSee clinic does not run like a typical medical practice. Because we focus just on children during clinic days, we are scheduled with a unique flow that allows us to see more children than we normally can in our office.
How long do KinderSee appointments typically last?
Patients are scheduled in blocks of time and will pass through many screening stations before seeing the doctor. Your appointment will take between 1 to 3 hours.
Since your first appointment will likely take at least 3 hours, please feel free to bring toys, books, ipads, etc. We do have cartoons playing to help entertain the children. You are expected to stay with your child through the entire appointment.
Can I donate to KinderSee?
Yes! The mission of KinderSee is to provide excellent eye and vision care for every child without regard to financial resources, so each child can reach their educational and life potential. Donations will go to provide eyeglasses, transportation, and other related costs associated with treating the vision needs of the students in the School District of Lancaster.
The Lancaster Education Foundation is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) and donations are tax deductible.
To give to KinderSee online, please visit the Lancaster Education Foundation(opens in a new tab) and denote KinderSee in the memo line.
OR
Checks can be mailed to:
Lancaster Education Foundation
KinderSee Fund
1020 Lehigh Ave.
Lancaster, PA 17602
The donor agrees that the Lancaster Education Foundation shall be authorized to manage the funds in the KinderSee account without limitation, except as set forth herein. The spending rate will be determined annually. The Lancaster Education Foundation (LEF) charges an annual administrative fee equal to 5% of total contributions within the LEF fiscal year. It is further agreed that, if at some future time, the Foundation determines that the need for aforementioned purpose no longer exists or that the principal/fund balance amount remaining is insufficient for that purpose, the Foundation is authorized to add to said fund or combine with the fund with other funds in similar purpose or to use such money or property as it shall determine at its discretion.
How do I sign my child up for KinderSee?
Please call to schedule and have your child’s insurance information ready at the time of scheduling.