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Infants & Children
Early detection and treatment provide the very best opportunity to treat and correct vision problems to help children see clearly. Good vision doesn't just happen. A child's brain learns how to use eyes to see. The longer a vision problem goes undiagnosed and untreated, the more a child's brain has to overcompensate to live with the vision problem, instead of developing and learning normally.
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Our easy-going environment is ideal to make children comfortable with our staff and doctors. We recognize the importance of quality eye care for the pediatric population and ensure that our team provides it for all ages. Rest assured, your child will receive the best, comprehensive eye care to make sure they can excel as they work through the visual demands of their educational journey.
When does my child need an eye exam?
The AOA recommends the following schedule for eye examinations for children:
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Infants should receive a comprehensive baseline eye exam between the ages of 6 and 12 months, immediately after the critical period when the eye undergoes rapid and profound changes and is therefore most vulnerable to interference with normal development;
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Preschoolers should receive at least one in-person, comprehensive eye exam between the ages of 3 and 5 to prevent or diagnose any condition that may have long-term effects;
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School-aged children (6 to 18 years) should receive a comprehensive exam prior to entering the first grade and annually thereafter.
"But they passed their
vision screening..."
Many parents rely on vision screenings at the doctors office or at school to check for eye problems, but that isn’t enough. As the name suggests, those are just screenings. Being able to read the letters or shapes on an eye chart in a hallway may give your child a "pass" but unfortunately can miss issues in a lot of children.
Comprehensive eye exams are necessary to detect problems that a simple screening can miss, such as eye coordination, moderate amounts of farsightedness and astigmatism.”
According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), vision screenings are not diagnostic, and therefore, typically identify only a small portion of the vision problems in children. During a comprehensive eye exam, a doctor of optometry will also check not just the child’s visual acuity, but how well the eyes work together as a team, focusing ability, visual alignment, eye tracking skills, and color vision, as well as the overall health of the eyes.
"They didn't tell me it was blurry ..."
It's important to remember that kids won't always realize or know how to express vision problems, so it's crucial to schedule regular check-ups with a professional optometrist.
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Treatment of refractive error alone can improve visual acuity (VA) in children who have anisometropic or bilateral refractive amblyopia. Most children with amblyopia do not notice symptoms of vision problems because they either rely on one eye to do their work or both eyes are equally blurry. Instead, their caregivers may notice the child having issues with depth perception, delayed learning or headaches.
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Children's comprehensive eye exams are essential for identifying any vision problems early on and ensuring your child can develop proper eye function. At our clinic, we work with children of all ages to provide thorough and personalized eye exams. Our team understands the particular challenges children face when having their eyes examined and will work with your child to make the experience comfortable and stress-free.
