When Should My Child First See an Eye Doctor?

The American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus recommends bringing your child to the eye doctor for regular eye checks. This will make sure your child’s vision health gets a good start. Knowing when you must bring your child in for the first eye check can help prepare you and your child.

The Right Time to See an Eye Doctor

A child should get a comprehensive eye exam between six months to a one year of age. Take your child to the eye doctor again before kindergarten even if there are no eye issues. Pediatricians can perform an eye exam at birth, which allows them to spot different abnormalities in the way the eyes process the light. 

Seeing the eye doctor early in life can help the child perform in and out of the classroom well. Good eyesight allows the child to see clearly. It also triggers a proper response and understanding of what the child sees. 

Preventing Serious Eye Issues

A comprehensive eye exam can detect eye conditions such as nearsightedness or myopia. It is one of the most common causes of vision impairment. Studies show that this eye condition can progress without proper intervention. Your eye doctor can also detect other serious eye problems and abnormalities that can lead to vision loss. Early detection leads to early treatment. 

One example of an eye issue is lazy eye. This eye condition leaves one eye weaker than the other. The treatment for it includes eyeglasses, eye patches, or eye drops. Crossed eye is another condition that involves one or both eyes turning outward or inward. If not treated early on , it can result in serious vision impariment.

How to Make Sure That Your Child Receives Good Eye Care

As a parent, you must provide the most suitable form of care for your child. This includes preventive care and early treatment. Eye health is crucial to your child’s growth and development. Here are things that you can do to ensure your child’s eyes stay healthy:

• Take your child to an eye doctor with training and experience in providing care for kids. This type of eye doctor has the right tools and strategies to spot or treat eye problems
   

• Do not wait for your child to reach school age. Bring your child to the eye doctor if you have questions about your baby’s vision. Having your child’s eyes checked before attending school can give your child an edge
   

• Trust your gut as a parent. Bring your child to the eye doctor if you think there is an eye issue. You can discuss this and determine if your child needs early treatment
   

• Think about your family history. If you have more than one child, it is ideal to have them all tested for vision issues. Bringing them to the eye doctor early can determine if there is an eye condition running in your family. This can also confirm if a relative passed on an eye condition to your child 

For more on when you should first take your child to see an eye doctor, visit Sight & Specs Optometry, we help our young patients achieve a high level of eye health. Please visit our facility in Queens, New York, for a one-on-one consultation. Please call 718-470-2280 to set an appointment or ask about our children’s eye exam packages.