The Importance of Getting Your Child's Eyes Checked Early

Good vision is key to a child’s physical development, success in school and overall well-being. This is why the American Optometric Association (AOA) recommends that your child have their first eye exam as early as 6 months of age.

Visiting the kid’s eye doctor and having a children’s eye exam is very important because the following visual skills are needed for learning:

• Near/distance vision
• Hand-eye coordination
• Eye-teaming skills
• Eye movement skills
• Focusing skills
• Peripheral awareness

Although serious vision problems during childhood are rare, early visits to a children’s eye doctor ensure that any problems are picked up and managed as early as possible.

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Why Routine Visits to The Kid’s Eye Doctor Are So Important

Regular checkups by the children’s eye doctor ensure that everything is developing correctly. An optometrist can also find any visual problems and treat them before they lead to more serious complications such as vision loss.

Learn More: Protecting Your Child’s Vision

Because young children may not realize they have a vision problem, scheduling annual children’s eye exams will eliminate the risk of any problems going undiagnosed for months or even years and ensure the healthy development of their eyes.

Eye Conditions Diagnosed By Early Children’s Eye Exams

Many eye conditions that can cause difficulties later in life can be easily detected and treated in early visits to the children’s eye doctor.

Two such conditions are:

1. Strabismus

Typically referred to as crossed eyes, strabismus results from a lack of coordination between eye muscles and result in eyes which point in different directions.

This eye condition can be very difficult to detect, which is why a comprehensive children’s eye exam is important to prevent any potential vision loss.

What a children’s eye doctor can do: A qualified kid’s eye doctor will be able to recommend several treatment options to successfully treat strabismus.

This may include:

• Prescription eyewear/contact lenses
• Eye patch
• Surgery
• Injected medication

Learn More: Strabismus & Importance of Early Children’s Eye Exams

2. Amblyopia

Also known as lazy eye, amblyopia develops due to poor visual experiences early on in life, resulting in the nerve pathways between the brain and retina being under-stimulated.

Amblyopia is one of the leading causes of vision loss in children, which is why scheduling a comprehensive eye exam with a kid’s eye doctor is crucial to ensure your child’s vision is corrected as soon as possible.

What a children’s eye doctor can do: By detecting amblyopia early, a kid’s eye doctor can successfully treat the condition using several methods:

• Prescription eyewear
• Eye patch
• Eye drops
• Surgery

Learn More: Amblyopia & The Importance of Early Children’s Eye Exams

Be Sure To Watch Out For…

Although your child should have regular eye exams as they grow up, it’s still important to be on the lookout for signs of any problems and seek advice from a children’s eye doctor immediately if you have any concerns.

SIGNS OF VISUAL PROBLEMS IN CHILDREN Eyes not pointing in the same direction Complaints of headaches or eye strain Problems with hand-eye coordination Regular eye rubbing Problems reading Being unusually clumsy Sensitivity to light Read More: Warning Signs of Vision Problems in Children