Checking up on your child’s vision is so much more challenging than making sure they’re dressed correctly or determining if they have a fever. After all, you can’t see through their eyes to recognize any vision problems.
Plus, vision problems can develop gradually over time. Even your child won’t recognize the changes.
So it seems the odds aren’t with you. Experts estimate that as many as 10% of preschoolers and 25% of older children have vision problems.
Timing
The State of Texas requires vision and hearing screening for all children on their first entry to school. This typically happens at kindergarten. They also require follow up screening during first, third, fifth, and seventh grades. That shows just how important an eye exam is for your child.
The American Optometric Association also recommends eye exams at 6 months, 3 years, before first grade, and every two years after that.
If your child already wears eyeglasses or contacts, you should have their eyes examined annually.
Since children are growing, their eyes will be changing as well. It’s important to their vision health to make sure that their prescription stays current.
Case History
We’ll start with a thorough case history that you can complete before your appointment. this will help us identify any risk factors such as premature birth and current medications, along with any problems your child may be encountering.
Problems can include difficulty reading the board at the front of class, squinting to see distant objects, and difficulty reading. At home it could show up as sitting too close to the television, rubbing their eyes, chronic tearing, redness, or headaches. For more insight, see my post “Common Eye Problems in Children.”
Chart Reading and So Much More
We’ll measure your child’s visual acuity through the use of eye charts where they will identify letters and special symbols. We’ll also use retinoscopy to look right into the eye to determine any needed vision correction.
Our full exam will include evaluating their distance vision, near vision, focusing skills, depth perception, eye tracking movement, color vision, letter reversal frequency, color vision, and more.
Critical for Your Child’s Vision
As you can tell, we take your child’s vision very seriously. For that reason, we conduct a thorough examination of all aspects of your child’s vision to make sure there are no problems. And, if we do find any problems, we’ll know exactly how to address them to ensure your child maintains their healthy vision.
If it’s time for your child to have their eyes examined, let’s get started. Use our contact form or call us at 972-612-2099 to schedule your child’s examination.
Disclaimer: The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
