Pediatric Eye Exams

in Charlotte, NC

WHEN SHOULD CHILDREN EYE EXAMS HAPPEN?

According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), infants should have their first comprehensive eye exam at 6 months of age. Children eye exams should continue at 3 years of age, and just before they enter kindergarten or the first grade at about age 5 or 6.

A pediatric eye examination by our Optometrists includes:

Evaluation of vision and ocular health
Eye teaming (binocularity) skills
Eye movement skills
Focusing skills
Evaluation for amblyopia (or “lazy eye”)
Evaluation for strabismus (or eye turn)

Children often have difficulty expressing visual concerns to their parents, as they assume that everyone sees the same way that they do. Because of this, parents need to stay vigilant regarding vision concerns.According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), parents should look for:

Sitting close to the TV or holding a book too close
Squinting
Tilting their head
Frequently rubbing their eyes
Short attention span for the child’s age
Turning of an eye in or out
Sensitivity to light
Difficulty with eye-hand-body coordination when playing ball or bike riding
Avoiding coloring activities, puzzles and other detailed activities

For school-aged children, the AOA recommends an eye exam every two years if no vision correction is required. Children who need eyeglasses or contact lenses should be examined annually or according to their eye doctor’s recommendations. It’s important for parents to make sure their children’s eyes are healthy. Approximately 80 percent of all learning during a child’s first 12 years comes through vision.

Good eye health and vision is important to your child’s learning, and vision problems can affect their performance in school. Undetected or untreated vision problems can hinder a child’s ability to perform to their full potential in school. In fact, many eye diseases can impair vision or lead to vision loss, which is why it is important for people of all ages to have their eyes checked regularly.

At least 10 to 15 percent – or 8 to 12 million – children are at risk for vision impairment. Prevention of these conditions can be easy and can help your student perform his or her best at academics and sports, so schedule your child’s eye exam today! While you’re at it, schedule your own exam too!