Jul 12

Why Eye Exams for Children are Important

While your child may review an eye chart as part of his or her annual wellness exam at the pediatrician, this is just a cursory review of your child’s eyesight. This is where your young child may get flagged that there are some vision problems that need to be evaluated by an optician. Our team at Trumansburg Optical believes in the value of comprehensive eye exams for your youngest kid up until they are an adult.

What Can An Eye Exam Uncover

The top issue we look for is any signs of eye disease. When we perform your child’s eye exam, we will look into their eyes to see if there are any problems. We will see how your eyes function both together and separately. We have the technology and advanced equipment in order to reveal any health issues quickly and decide on a course of action. Any conditions should be addressed as early as possible with your children. We will establish their prescription as well in order to ensure that they can see properly at school, for sports and at home. Unfortunately, if vision problems are not uncovered early, it could lead to an interference in the learning process. Vision issues at an early age can lead to a delay in your child’s development.

When your child is younger and cannot express himself or herself fully, you might be unaware of any vision problems for months or years. Also, a young child may not understand that he or she is not seeing clearly as that is what your child is used to. By visiting us for your yearly eye exam, we can help uncover any issues as soon as possible and get them on a path to seeing better. Sometimes, vision problems can lead to behavioral issues as it is a way of acting out.

What You Might See if Your Child Needs an Eye Exam

While sometimes there will not be any signals about vision issues at a young age, there are some signs that you can watch for, especially if your child cannot speak yet or has trouble expressing himself or herself. Make an appointment to see us if you see your child covering an eye or tilting his or her head one way to see far away. If your child has to put reading material up close or complains of headaches often, you should see us. Also having a short attention span or getting frustrated or anxious at school can signal a problem. 

Connect With Our Team for Your Child’s Vision Needs

At the age of 1, 3 and 5, you should bring your child in for an exam. If you see any of the above signs or if he or she fails a vision test at school or the pediatrician, make an appointment. Once your child is school age, we should see him or her every year to address any concerns. Contact us via our online contact form.