Guide to Child's Vision

FIRST EYE EXAM AT 1-3 YEARS

  • As a parent, you strive to help your child develop into a healthy adult. An important part of your child's overall health maintenance program is regular, professional vision care. Your child's eyes must function properly to accomplish the many visual tasks he or she will encounter in the years ahead.
  • Because you can't look through your child's eyes, it's impossible to accurately judge how well he or she sees. The only way to be sure that vision is developing normally is to make certain your child receives a comprehensive vision analysis by an eye care professional.
  • Unless a need is identified earlier, your child should be given his or her first comprehensive eye examination between 1 and 3 years of age. The child's eyes should be examined again before entering school.
  • Do not confuse a vision screening, a brief check which tests how well a child sees an eye chart from a distance of 20 feet, with a comprehensive examination. Problems with near vision, eye coordination, and focus are among the many problems not identified in a 20/20 screening.

PREPARE YOUR CHILD FOR THEIR FIRST EXAMINATION

  • It is natural for your child to feel some apprehension with a new experience. Talk with your child about the examination prior to the visit. Encourage his or her questions. You can assure your child that the examination is completely painless.
  • Schedule the appointment for early in the day so that you child will be well rested and cooperative.

WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY AND EXPEREIENCE TO PERFORM AN EYE EXAMINATION WITHOUT THE CHILD NEEDING TO RESPOND!

  • With our extensive diagnostic equipment and tests, your child doesn't need to identify letters, numbers, or even pictures.
  • We have several different methods at our disposal to obtain accurate data and results.

WE WILL CHECK AND RULE OUT SEVERAL CONDITIONS

Our technology and experience allows us to examine the very young without needing any response
  • Astigmatism:   A condition in which the vertical and horizontal portions of the eye focus differently, causing blurriness at all distances.
  • Nearsightedness (myopia):  A condition in which close objects are seen more clearly than those at a distance.  It is often first noticed in the early school years when a child squints to read the chalkboard or holds reading materials closer than normal.
  • Farsightedness (hyperopia)
  • Lazy eye (amblyopia):   a condition in which vision cannot be corrected to 20/20 even with eyeglasses or contact lenses. It affects about 2 percent of children. With early diagnosis and treatment, permanent vision loss can be avoided.
  • Cross-eyed (strabismus): a condition which occurs when the eyes are not properly aligned with each other. It affects 4 percent of all children.
  • Muscle imbalance
  • General eye health

SIGNS THAT YOUR CHILD MAY BE HAVING VISION PROBLEMS

INFANTS TO 3 YRS

  • Rubbing the eyes
  • Sitting very close to TV
  • Turning or tilting the head to see
  • Wandering or crossing eye
  • Improper aligning of the eyes (They do not appear to be straight.)
  • Bumping into things

TODDLERS AND UP

  • Holding a book very close to the eyes -- only seven or eight inches away
  • Sitting very close to TV
  • Frequently rubbing or blinking eye
  • Having poor eye/hand coordination
  • Avoiding close work
  • Having a short attention span or frequently daydreaming
  • Covering one eye
  • Tilting the head or moving the head back and forth while reading instead of moving the eyes
  • Decreasing scholastic or athletic performance
  • Tearing
  • Complaining about headaches, double vision, or blurred vision
  • Omitting, miscalling, or repeating words when reading aloud
  • Squinting

Because your child's eyes can change very rapidly during the early years, it is important to protect his or her vision with regularly scheduled vision examinations by an eye care professional.

What about watching TV?
Television viewing habits are an important factor in any discussion of a child's vision. Because television plays a part in almost every child's life, it is essential to develop sensible viewing habits to avoid unnecessary eyestrain. Properly installed and adjusted, televisions and DVDs are safe for the eyes. In fact, more eyestrain can be caused by close activities like reading or sewing than by watching television.

Here are some helpful tips recommended by the American Optometric Association:

  • When watching TV, the viewing distance should be at least seven times the width of your TV screen.
  • The room should not be completely dark.
  • Position the television set so that glare and reflections are avoided.
  • Avoid sitting at an extreme angle in relation to the TV screen.

Perhaps most importantly, your child's television viewing should be sensibly balanced with creative play and exercise.

For more information about how vision can adversely affect your child's performance in school, click here for our Kids Vison and Learning section.

back to top