As a parent or guardian, you worry about your child’s health and safety all the time. But have you considered how important their eye health is to their overall well being?
Your child’s eyes are a critical part of their development and health later in life. Unfortunately, the noticeable symptoms of many eye conditions don’t present themselves until the condition has progressed into a later stage.
If detected early, many eye conditions can be treated, corrected, or prevented from getting any worse.
Taking your child in for each regularly scheduled eye exam as recommended can save their vision as they get older.
A Child Need to have their Eyes Checked, When?
The Optometric Association recommends that children have their first eye exam by the age of 6 months and their second once they turn 3 years old.
They recommend having another eye exam before first grade and then once every two years from then on.
For children who are considered “at risk” for eye health issues, their doctor will likely recommend more frequent examinations and/or additional testing.
How do I Know if My Child is “at Risk”?
Typically, the “at risk” signs occur at birth or present themselves early on in your child’s life. The following factors indicate a greater risk factor for visual impairment:
Central nervous system dysfunction (such as cerebral palsy, seizures, developmental delay, or dysmorphic features)
Difficult or assisted labor (fetal distress may lead to the development of other conditions)
Prematurity or low birth rate
A family history of eye conditions such as congential cataracts or retinoblastoma
Infection of mother during pregnancy (including, but not limited to, AIDS, veneral disease, or toxoplasmosis)
Strabismus
High refractive error
What will My Child’s First Eye Exam Look Like?
Around the age of 6 months old, your baby should visit an optometrist or pediatrician to ensure that their eyes are developing normally.
Their doctor will check for pupil response, examine the eyelids and eyeballs, and test how their eyes react to movement in front of them.
During this first exam, their doctor will be looking for common conditions such as astigmatism, farsightedness, nearsightedness, amblyopia (lazy eye), and any general eye problems.
Diagnosing and treating these conditions as early as possible is key to preventing eye issues as they get older.
Why is an Eye Exam Necessary at 3 Years Old? And before First Grade?
Around the age of 6 months old, your baby should visit an optometrist or pediatrician to ensure that their eyes are developing normally.
Their doctor will check for pupil response, examine the eyelids and eyeballs, and test how their eyes react to movement in front of them.
During this first exam, their doctor will be looking for common conditions such as astigmatism, farsightedness, nearsightedness, amblyopia (lazy eye), and any general eye problems.
Diagnosing and treating these conditions as early as possible is key to preventing eye issues as they get older.
