How Often Should Children Have Their Eyes Checked?

When was the last time you took your little one for an eye exam? Does the thought of having a doctor examine your child’s eyes scare you? If so, you need to understand the importance of pediatric eye exams. 

What Is a Pediatric Eye Exam?

When many parents think about a health exam for their children, they get anxious. Others believe that various medical exams, such as annual comprehensive eye exams, are unnecessary. After all, what do school nurses do? 

There is a lot of confusion surrounding regular pediatric eye exams. As a parent, the first thing you need to understand is the difference between a vision screening and a comprehensive eye exam for kids. 

A pediatric vision screening is a routine exam performed to help identify refractive errors such as farsightedness and nearsightedness. On the other hand, a pediatric eye exam does much more. Some of the things that happen during a comprehensive eye exam include:

• A determination of a child’s family and medical history.
• Basic eye exam.
• Refractive and eye structure exam.
• Dilation of the pupils, and more. 

How to Prepare Your Child for an Eye Exam

If your little one is not old enough to understand what is going on, sit the child down and explain as best as you can what will happen during the visit. Do everything possible to help your child understand that they will have to identify and look at different objects, shapes, letters, or pictures on the wall. 

Also, your child should understand that the eye doctor may apply eye drops, but they will not hurt. However, they may sting for a little while. Essentially, you need to be honest with your little one and work with your pediatric doctor.

Importance of Pediatric Eye Exams

Eye exams for kids are essential in ensuring that your child’s eyes are healthy. They are the easiest way to detect vision problems in children. Good vision and eye health can make a huge difference in school and sports performance. It can also benefit your child’s social life. 

Your child’s eyes must learn to work together to focus and see the world around them. Comprehensive eye exams test different eye and vision skills to ensure that a child’s eyes and vision develop properly.

When to Take Your Child for the First Eye Exam

Parents should take their kids for their first eye exam at about six months old. Their next eye exam should be at age three. If everything is fine, their next exam should be around five or six years old when they start first grade.

How Often Should You Take Your Child for Eye Exams?

If your little one does not need any vision correction, you should still take your child for a comprehensive eye exam every two years or so. But if your little one has a refractive error or any other type of vision or eye problem, an annual comprehensive eye exam is important. 

Sometimes, eye doctors recommend more frequent eye exams. So, consult a pediatric eye doctor to protect your little one’s vision and eyes.

For more about pediatric eye exams, call Hunter Family Vision at our office in either Leawood or Prairie Village, Kansas. For Leawood call (913) 681-8555 and for Prairie Village call (913) 381-2323.