Pediatrics eyecare
Pediatric eye exam
When should children have their first eye exam?
Children should have their first comprehensive eye exam at six months, then again at three years old, and once more before they enter kindergarten.
Once a child is in school, they should have a comprehensive eye exam at least once every two years if no vision correction is needed. If a child has been prescribed eyeglasses or contact lenses, then they should be examined on an annual basis or as recommended by the optometrist.
Why are eye exams important for children?
It’s important for children to have their eyes examined to ensure they are healthy and that they don’t have any vision problems which may interfere with their performance in school. Eye exams for children also assess whether they have the necessary visual skills which are essential for learning:
- Excellent vision for near, up-close work and distance.
- Comfortable and correct “eye teaming,” which means the eyes work well together and can focus on the same place in space.
- Excellent ability to switch the focus from an object up close to an object in the distance.
- Accurate eye movement skills, such as the ability to read a line of text.