3 Things To Know About A Child's Eye Exam

Posted on

Being a parent can be overwhelming at times, but it is important to not lose focus on keeping your child's health and wellness a priority. A key element in your child's physical and emotional wellness is their ability to see clearly. Unfortunately, many children have undiagnosed vision issues, which can affect their well-being and quality of life. With this guide, you will learn a few important things about eye exams for your children, so you can protect their eye health, vision quality, and quality of life.

Timing Matters

In most cases, parents wait to schedule an eye exam until a teacher or school nurse recommends it. In reality, your child should have their eyes examined much earlier.

Experts recommend a professional eye exam for infants at 6 months of age. Another exam should be conducted when your child turns 3. In addition, make sure their eyes are examined before they start elementary school.

If no vision issues are detected, follow-up exams should be conducted every 2 to 3 years. If your child does have eye/vision issues that need to be addressed, annual eye exams are recommended.

Screenings/Exams Not Equal

One important thing to remember is that a simple vision screening is not the same as a comprehensive eye exam.

In schools, screenings are completed to ensure students do not have severe vision problems that may be affecting their ability to learn in the classroom. These screenings are only capable of finding obvious issues with your child's vision. Therefore, they may not be able to find a slight impairment, such as nearsightedness, or a more severe issue with the eyes, such as glaucoma.

Even if your child passes a screening in school, you should schedule routine eye exams for a more detailed look at your child's vision and underlying eye health.

Vision Health Is Important for Many Reasons

Eye exams can help correct vision impairments that affect their ability to see, but correcting your child's vision is important for other reasons, too.

Children with vision impairments may not be able to see and focus clearly in the classroom, which can lead to learning difficulties and bad grades that may follow them throughout their educational career. Ensuring your child's eyes are examined and any eye/vision issues are corrected will improve their quality of life and educational career.

Healthy eyes and good vision are necessary for your child's growth and development. This guide will help you understand the importance of regular eye exams. Contact a clinic, like Quality Eye Care, for more help.


Share