HOME ABOUT US SERVICES OPTICAL ORDER CONTACTS WEST WICHITA & GODDARD 316-262-3716 | 316-794-2228 Eye Exams for Children July 21st, 2016 As a parent, you may wonder whether your pre-schooler has a vision problem or when a first eye exam should be scheduled. Eye exams for children are extremely important. Experts say 5% to 10% of pre-schoolers and 25% of school-aged children have vision problems. Early identification of a child’s vision problem is crucial because, if left untreated, some childhood vision problems can cause permanent vision loss. When should kids have their eyes examined? According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), infants should have their first comprehensive eye exam at 6 months of age. Children then should receive additional eye exams at 3 years of age, and just before they enter kindergarten or the first grade at about age 5 or 6. For school-aged children, the AOA recommends an eye exam every two years if no vision correction is required. Children who need eyeglasses or contact lenses should be examined annually or according to their eye doctor’s recommendations. School screenings are not adequate and often miss vision issues. Taking your children to an eye doctor, and having an early eye exam is very important because children need the following basic visual skills for learning: Near vision Distance vision Eye teaming (binocularity) skills Eye movement skills Focusing skills Peripheral awareness Eye/hand coordination Because of the importance of good vision for learning, some states require an eye exam for all children entering school for the first time. Scheduling your child’s eye exam Your family doctor or pediatrician likely will be the first medical professional to examine your child’s eyes. If eye problems are suspected during routine physical examinations, a referral might be made to an ophthalmologist or optometrist for further evaluation. Eye doctors have specific equipment and training to help them detect and diagnose potential vision problems. When scheduling an eye exam, choose a time when your child is usually alert and happy. Specifics of how eye exams are conducted depend on your child’s age, but an exam generally will involve a case history, vision testing, determination of whether eyeglasses are needed, testing of eye alignment, an eye health examination and a consultation with you regarding the findings. After you’ve made the appointment, you may be sent a case history form by mail, or you may be given one when you check in at the doctor’s office. The case history form will ask about your child’s birth history (also called perinatal history), such as birth weight and whether or not the child was full-term. Your eye doctor also may ask whether complications occurred during the pregnancy or delivery. The form will also inquire about your child’s medical history, including current medications and past or present allergies. Be sure to tell your eye doctor if your child has a history of prematurity, has delayed motor development, engages in frequent eye rubbing, blinks excessively, fails to maintain eye contact, cannot seem to maintain a gaze (fixation) while looking at objects, has poor eye tracking skills or has failed a pediatrician or pre-school vision screening. Your eye doctor will also want to know about previous ocular diagnoses and treatments involving your child, such as possible surgeries and glasses or contact lens wear. Be sure you inform your eye doctor if there is a family history of eye problems requiring vision correction, such as nearsightedness or farsightedness, misaligned eyes (strabismus) or amblyopia (“lazy eye”). « Older Entries See Latest Doctor’s Notes As a parent, you may wonder whether your pre-schooler has a... | Read More Macular Degeneration is the number one cause of blindness in persons... | Read More No one likes the air puff test, however it does provide... | Read More West Wichita 1202 W. Maple Wichita KS 67213 316-262-3716 Monday - Friday 8:30am to 5pm Goddard 318 N. Main Goddard KS 67052 316-794-2228 Monday - Friday 8:30am to 5pm Copyright 2013 - 2021 West Wichita Family Optometrists