Our kids appointment guide breaks down the basics of a children’s eye exam.
Vision is critical to all parts of a child’s development, especially during their formative years. From infancy on, your optometrist will perform a variety of vision tests to give your child the head start they need to succeed both in and out of the classroom.
Infants
It may come as a surprise that infants can — and should — receive eye exams starting as early as six months of age. The health of your baby’s eyes is key to their development. Vision problems can hinder their ability to learn vital motor functions such as crawling.
An infant eye exam will test to ensure your child is able to follow and focus on objects, test for amblyopia and strabismus, the need for glasses as well as the health of their eyes.
Preschool — ages 3 to 5
In preschool, your child will use their visual ability to continue to develop hand-eye coordination and their perception of sensory information. While preschoolers likely won’t be able to identify letters used in a standard eye exam, there are a number of ways to test their visual development.
Eye exams for preschoolers test to ensure their eyes are working together as a team, their ability to focus their eyes, the need for glasses and the health of their eyes.
Elementary School — ages 6 to 11
In the classroom, vision is critical for success. Reading, writing, and the ability to understand and process what is being seen make up the majority of daily routines. Though your child will receive vision testing in school, an eye exam with an optometrist is important to evaluate the overall functioning of their vision.
Comprehensive eye exams will test your child’s eyes to track any changes and correct, or prevent, any present or future problems.
Middle School and Older
As your child advances in age, the demands on their vision also increase. Sports, homework, and increased screen time put strain on the eyes even after school hours. Advancing age may also bring about new allergies or conditions like dry eyes.
A yearly comprehensive eye exam will monitor the efficiency of any prescriptions they may have, as well as test for any potential eye related health concerns.
As a family-owned and -operated business, Bodenhamer Eye Consultants understands the complications of scheduling appointments for the family. We are always happy to work with you to accommodate your scheduling needs. Get in touch to schedule an appointment for your child or family today.
