The Red Reflex Exam: Highlighting the Importance of Physical Exam Maneuvers.

A pediatric well-child physical examination consists of various assessments that screen for common abnormalities during development. Checking the red reflex is one such assessment, with the absence of a red reflex indicating a potential ocular abnormality such as a retinoschisis. Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians have guidelines that call for routine screening of the red reflex from infancy through adolescence. This exam has a high specificity if performed correctly, underlining the utility of this test. This case details a pediatric patient diagnosed with retinoschisis following an absent red reflex noted by a primary care physician. We illustrate the importance of routine exam maneuvers like the red light reflex in routine physical examinations for the screening and diagnosis of illnesses that can significantly alter a child's quality of life over time.