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Track AI and Children's Vision Screening: What Parents Should Know in 2026

Track AI began as an artificial-intelligence project for pediatric vision screening. Learn what the technology became, what screening can and cannot do, and when a child needs a comprehensive eye exam.

Reviewed for accuracy by Justin Bazan, OD on .

When this article was first published in 2019, Track AI was an emerging collaboration involving DIVE Medical and Huawei. The project used eye tracking and artificial intelligence to study how children looked at carefully designed visual targets, with the goal of identifying children who might have an undiagnosed vision problem.

That basic idea did not disappear. DIVE Medical now describes an AI Vision Screening system that can be used with children from about 6 months of age, including preverbal or non-verbal patients. The system analyzes visual-function and eye-tracking data to estimate whether a child may be at risk for abnormal visual development, strabismus, or certain other vision findings.

The most important word there is screening.

What can an AI vision screening do?

A screening test is designed to identify children who may need a more complete evaluation. Depending on the system, instrument-based screening may look for patterns associated with refractive error, eye alignment problems, abnormal visual development, or other risk factors.

AI can make that process faster or help analyze measurements that would be difficult to interpret manually. That can be especially valuable for very young children who cannot yet read an eye chart or reliably answer questions.

But a screening result is not the same thing as a diagnosis.

What happens if a child fails a screening?

A child who does not pass a vision screening should receive the appropriate follow-up eye evaluation. Current guidance from the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus includes referral after failed instrument-based screening and emphasizes comprehensive evaluation when screening identifies a concern.

A comprehensive pediatric eye exam can assess much more than a screening device alone. Depending on the child’s age and reason for the visit, the doctor may evaluate visual acuity, refractive error, eye alignment, focusing, eye movements, pupils, the health of the front and back of the eyes, and other findings relevant to the child’s visual development.

That distinction is also why a child can sometimes pass a basic screening yet still need an eye exam because of symptoms, a family history, school concerns, eye turning, headaches, or other signs that something may not be right.

You can read more in our guide to vision screenings versus comprehensive eye exams.

Does Park Slope Eye use Track AI or DIVE?

No. Park Slope Eye does not currently use Track AI or DIVE and does not market an autonomous AI diagnostic service for children.

We do provide comprehensive pediatric eye care for children of all ages, including infants. We also participate in InfantSEE, which provides a qualifying infant with a no-charge eye assessment during the first year of life.

For school-age children, a comprehensive eye exam before school is a useful milestone. Screening remains valuable, and children with symptoms, a failed screening, known risk factors, an existing prescription, myopia progression, or another eye concern may need evaluation sooner or more often. The appropriate examination interval depends on the child’s findings and individual risk.

Where AI fits into eye care now

Artificial intelligence is increasingly being incorporated into medical devices and clinical software. The FDA maintains a list of AI-enabled medical devices that have gone through applicable premarket review, and ophthalmic applications are part of that broader landscape.

That does not mean AI replaces the eye doctor. The useful role is narrower: AI may help organize measurements, detect patterns, or flag people who deserve closer evaluation. The final interpretation still depends on the device’s intended use and the clinical context.

For parents, the practical takeaway is simple: screening technology can be helpful, but a concerning result—or a concerning child—still deserves a proper eye examination.

Sources

Originally published . Substantially updated .

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