Vision is one of our most important senses, if not the most crucial one. Vision problems interfere with our daily lives and hinder us in the way we perform certain tasks. Depending on their severity, eyesight issues may impede particular activities, while some of them may be off-limits completely.
As parents, it is our job to protect our children’s health, and their vision is no exception. Given how common childhood vision problems are, it’s now more important than ever to acknowledge the importance of preventative care and give your child an optimal start in life. If you’re planning on taking your child to an optometrist but aren’t sure about when children should start getting eye examinations, here’s everything you need to know to help build and maintain your child’s eye care routine.
Why are preventative eye care examinations so important?
In order for children’s vision to develop normally, it is vital that they get eye examinations right from the start. A child’s vision is one of their primary tools when it comes to exploring their environment. It’s the way they interact with parents and caregivers, and also an important tool in their learning arsenal. As such, good eyesight plays a vital role in a child’s ability to acquire various social, cognitive, and physical skills.
Any impediments regarding their vision could have a negative impact and result in detrimental consequences for their development. Statistics show that vision disorders are becoming common in young children, with one-fourth of children of school age having difficulties with their vision. This only highlights the importance of preventative eye care as this is the only way to know if they have optimal vision.
When do children need eye exams?
The right time to start building an eye care routine for your child starts from the moment they’re born. Generally speaking, the first time you should bring your child in for a vision test is when they’re between 0 to 6 months of age.
Unless their eye doctor recommends otherwise, you should bring your child in for their next eye examination when they’re 3 and then once again right before they start first grade, which is around 5-6 years of age. Once they’re over 6 years old, they should have their eyes examined once every two years until they reach 18. Of course, how often your child will need regular eye examinations will depend on factors such as their family history and medical history.
What kinds of tests do eye examinations involve?
As a parent, you may be wondering what kinds of tests your child’s eye doctor will be carrying out. In order to check for any vision problems, your child’s doctor will perform the following eye exams:
- Pupil reflex test
- Red reflex test
- Range of movements test
- Refraction test
- Color vision deficiency test
- Attention to visual objects
- LogMAR and Snellen charts
If your child is deemed to be at high risk for eye problems, their doctor will recommend when eye examinations should take place. Your child may need to see their doctor more frequently if they need to receive some form of vision correction such as contact lenses or glasses. In some instances, an ophthalmologist may recommend LASIK eye surgery and similar procedures. Laser surgery can correct refractive errors such as astigmatism as well as near- and farsightedness. It can also help reduce the need for corrective eyewear.
What are some common eye problem causes and symptoms in children?
As adults, we are at a lower risk for certain eye disorders than our children. In fact, kids can develop a variety of eye conditions, including lazy eye, squint, long or short-sightedness, astigmatism, color blindness, childhood cataracts, and the like. This is precisely why visiting a pediatric optometrist can not be emphasized enough.
The good news is that all of these disorders can be detected during a routine vision exam. Still, parents should remain cautious and learn to recognize warning signs of vision problems in infants and children. Some of the symptoms to pay attention to include:
- constantly rubbing their eyes
- unusually clumsy
- sits close in front of the television screen
- child’s eyes are not pointing in the same direction
- has problems with hand-eye coordination
- the child has difficulty reading
- child complains of eye strains and headache
An optimal eye care routine for an optimal start in life
Treating vision issues is something that’s better done sooner than later. With regular preventative eye examinations, you can rest assured you’ll be building an optimal eye care routine. In doing so, you’ll be providing your child with an optimal start in life.
About The Author
Taylor Parker is an American based writer and blogger. She is very passionate about family, fashion, health and lifestyle. Taylor writes mostly lifestyle articles, but also you’ll find her in home improvement and other niches.