When should my child start getting their vision checked?
There are so many amazing milestones parents get to guide their child through: rolling over, first steps, first words, first haircut, and eventually their first eye exam. We recognize one of those is not nearly as exciting as the others, but we promise it’s just as important. Kids are so busy exploring and having fun, it’s up to their parents to make sure the less-fun things are taken care of.
It's important to understand that vision problems in children can have a big impact on their overall development and well-being. Not being able to see correctly can be a difficult thing to navigate especially if your child isn’t old enough to communicate that to you.
What age should you get your child’s eye checked?
The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that children have their first eye exam at the between the age of 6 and 12 months. This is the age when children's eyes are fully developed and can be properly evaluated. After this initial exam, children should have follow-up exams at the ages of 3, and before starting school around age 5 or 6.
It's also important to note that some children may need more frequent eye exams, particularly if they have a family history of eye problems or if they have other vision related health conditions. For example, children with diabetes or other conditions that can affect blood flow to the eyes may need more frequent eye exams. Additionally, children who wear glasses or contact lenses should have regular check-ups to ensure that their prescriptions are still accurate and that their eyes are healthy.
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What happens during the exam?
The process is similar to what you'd expect for an adult eye exam. The eye doctor will check your child's vision, examine their eyes for any signs of problems, and assess the overall health of their eyes. They may also use special tests, such as eye drops that help to dilate the pupils, to get a better look at the back of the eye.
By getting regular eye exams, children's vision problems can be identified and treated early on, which can help to ensure they're able to see clearly and reach their full potential.
What if they need vision correction?
Typically, children under 6 years old won’t be given glasses to correct their vision unless they have a special condition. Most vison issues don’t become a serious problem until kids start school and need to focus more regularly on specific tasks. Once they reach that age, most children will start out with glasses and eventually transition to contact lenses when they’re ready.
Don’t forget about yourself!
Protecting your children and making sure they have the best quality of life possible is an enormous task that requires a lot of your energy. It’s much harder to do that task well if you yourself are having a hard time seeing.
For most people, you won’t need to get an eye exam every year to maintain happy healthy eyes. There are some instances though where regularly scheduled eye exams should be part of your routine. Some medical conditions require frequent vision exams and if you wear contacts or glasses, you’ll want to see your eye doctor at least every two years.
With everything you can do online these days, it only makes sense that you can renew your contact lens prescription. How do online eye exams work? How long is a prescription good for? Find out when yours expires and how to renew it within minutes. Don’t let an expired prescription leave you squinting. Can you get contacts without a prescription? No. But all is not lost. Find out more about getting contacts. Everything you need to know about online vision exams
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