When Should Your Child Have Their First Eye Exam?

As a responsible parent, you want to make sure that your child is healthy and not developing eye problems. However, eye problems are extremely common. Studies show that as many as 10% of preschoolers and 25% of school-aged children have vision problems that could be impacting their learning and development, both at home and at school.

Nevertheless, establishing that your child can see clearly, or that they have a vision problem is easier said than done. Babies and toddlers can’t read eye charts and oftentimes they can’t verbalize or communicate things like eye pain or headaches. Not to mention that they may not even realize that their sight isn’t as good as it should be. Eye exams, performed by trained and skilled optometrists, are the most effective way of ensuring that your child’s eyes are healthy, and their vision is clear.

A family optometrist will know how to keep your child calm and cooperating with the assessments that will be performed, and that will look at things such as how your child’s eyes move and work together, whether they pay attention to visual objects and if their pupils respond normally to light. This will help your eye doctor to establish how well your child’s vision has developed and if any issues would benefit from treatment.

When Children Should Have Their First Eye Exam

Babies should have their vision checked at birth. However, following this, it will be down to you to make appointments to have your child’s eyes and vision checked regularly.

The American Optometric Association states that infants should have their first comprehensive eye exam with an optometrist when they are around 6 months old. Following this, they will probably be recommended to have follow-up appointments every couple of years, depending on their individual eye health and circumstances. This is because some vision problems are more likely in children who:
 

• have parents or siblings with eye conditions like strabismus, amblyopia, or high myopia.
   

• have other medication conditions like Down Syndrome, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, or neurofibromatosis.
   

• have been diagnosed with developmental delay.

If you have any concerns about the health or condition of your child’s eyes between their regularly scheduled appointments, it’s best not to delay and to contact your pediatric optometrist for advice and support. Some eye problems can develop quickly and have serious consequences if they are left without treatment. The sooner any issues are detected, the more easily they may be addressed.

For more information about the importance of having your child’s eyes checked regularly, visit Reed Optical in Claremont, New Hampshire. Call (603) 543-3125 to schedule an appointment today.