 |
When should my child get their first eye examination?Your child should have their first eye examination at 6 months of age. They should be seen sooner only if you notice any problems. If everything is normal at the first exam, the next exam is recommended at 3 years of age, and then yearly until your child is finished school. We believe it is critical for all children to get regular examinations. 80% of learning is visual, therefore, we want to ensure children have good vision so they will learn and succeed. Children generally do not report symptoms of poor vision, as they have no way of knowing what clear vision is. If a child is very farsighted (hyperopic) they will find reading and colouring, to be very difficult and tiring. They may be misdiagnosed as having a learning disability. A child who is nearsighted (myopic) may not be able to see the board at school. Spectacles are one option to correct both of these vision problems. There are conditions that may prevent a child from seeing out of one eye and yet they have no symptoms of poor vision because the other eye sees clearly. When this situation is allowed to persist, the information pathway to the brain does not develop properly. This condition is called Amblyopia (lazy eye) and the vision cannot be restored. Early diagnosis of the conditions that result in amblyopia can prevent its development. That is why the first exam at 6 months of age is so important. |
