Children’s Eye Exams – When Should You Make that First Appointment?

If you’ve been wondering when you should make that first eye appointment for your young child, we’ve got your answer. According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), unless your child is less than six months old, its time to set up that eye exam as soon as possible. The AOA has recently reported that one in four elementary aged children have undetected vision problems so don’t wait any longer!
 

Children with vision problems can get behind in school. So much of a young child’s education is visual so early detection is the best protection against vision problems.
 

Recommended Exam Schedule

After an initial infant eye exam around six months, the AOA recommends children have additional exams at:
 

• age three
• just before first grade (five or six years old)
• every two years after that (if no vision correction is required)

Note: Children who need eyeglasses or contact lenses should be examined annually.

What to Expect from a Child’s Comprehensive Eye Exam

Often the first medical professional to examine your child’s eyes is a pediatrician or family doctor. If a problem is suspected, a referral to an eye doctor may be made. The doctor will likely ask about your child’s perinatal (birth) history, medical, and family history. If your child is an infant, the doctor will check if your baby’s eyes are responsive to light and whether they can fixate and follow objects. For pre-school age children, some common tests include an LEA Symbol test (like an eye chart only with symbols instead of letters), a opthalmoscopy for looking at the back of the eye, and a random dot stereopsis for determining if your child’s eyes can work well together.
 

Common Children’s Vision Problems

If your child is diagnosed with an eye condition during their eye exam, most likely it will be nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, or a combination. However, there are some other less common conditions that tend to show up in school-aged children such as:
 

• Lazy Eye (Amblyopia) – normal vision compromised in one eye
• Crossed Eyes (Strabismus) – eyes are not aligned properly
• Convergence Insufficiency – eyes don’t focus correctly when working together up close

There are no Warning Signs

Parents often say their kids are not complaining or squinting so they don’t think there are any problems. To make matters worse, eye screenings at schools  are not sophisticated enough to detect vision problems like a comprehensive eye exam from a licensed optometrist.
 

Get Started Today

Your child’s first comprehensive eye exam is an important step in maintaining your child’s health and ensuring his or her ability to learn and grow. Request an appointment now or learn more about our children’s eye exams.