According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), your child should have their first eye exam as early as 6 months of age.
A Timetable outlining when your Child’s Vision should be checked can be found in our previous article "Children’s Eye and Vision Care"
When your child reaches the age of 6 years they should have a routine eye exam every 2 years.
Visiting a children’s eye doctor early is crucial because vision is so closely linked to the learning process.
As much as 80% of learning is done through a child’s eyes including reading, writing and computer use. Left undetected, vision problems will lead to difficulty with schoolwork and hinder your child's learning experience.
Early eye exams will test for common vision problems in children including:
- Nearsightedness
- Farsightedness
- Astigmatism
- Strabismus (misalignment of eyes)
- Ability of eyes to focus
- Depth perception
- Amblyopia (lazy eye)
Maintaining healthy vision throughout life requires regular eye checkups with a qualified optometrist starting at a young age.
At Market Mall Optometry, we put families first and want you to feel comfortable bringing your children to us.
Our Calgary-based optometrists provide comprehensive eye exams designed specifically for children. These include:
Eye Exams for Infants
To assess whether your infant’s eyes are developing normally, our highly qualified optometrists will:
- Test pupil response: Evaluation of whether the pupil opens and closes correctly in the presence or absence of light.
- Test Eye Fixation: This is to determine whether your toddler can fixate on an object and follow it as it moves. Typically, infants should be able to perform this by 3 months of age.
Eye Exams for Pre-School Children
At Market Mall Optometry, we can test your child’s eye health through imagery if they are unable to read yet. Some of the common eye exams we use include:
- LEA Symbols: Instead of using a regular chart with letters to test vision, we use special symbols including apples, cars, circles and squares to make it easy for your child.
- Retinoscopy: This is a simple test which involves shining a light into the back of your child’s eye and determines if your child needs an t eyeglass prescription.
- Random Dot Stereopsis: Through the use of special dot patterns and 3D glasses, we are able to measure how well your child’s eyes work together.
If your child is due for an eye exam, call to book an appointment with one of our optometrists at our NW Calgary location, conveniently situated inside Market Mall.
403-286-4884
