Kids Eye Exam
Did you know that your child’s coordination and learning skills – such as reading, comprehension, recognition, and recollection – heavily rely on his or her ability to see clearly? That’s why early detection of a child’s eye and vision problem is imperative.
iCare Vision proudly serves pediatric patients from Mount Vernon, Centerburg, Fredericktown, Danville, Homer, Newark, Bellville and Gambier.
The Importance of an Annual Kids Eye Exam
There is a 75% chance that poor learning skills or learning difficulties for a school age child are caused by vision problems.
When it comes to helping your child thrive and find success in school and to navigating their every day, the importance of an annual kids eye exam cannot be overstated. A child’s vision can change quickly, and without the child even noticing. If a child’s eye or vision problem is left untreated, learning problems and self-esteem issues can arise and cause unnecessary frustration and poor academic performance. Undetected eye problems can also cause a child to experience eye strain, tiredness, headaches, and even double vision. Many children experiencing these symptoms may not complain of them because they are not yet aware of what their “normal” vision should be. A kids eye doctor can speak with your child, asking the right questions, to uncover and correct the issues they’re experiencing.
Eye chart and vision testing at school or from your child’s pediatrician is helpful, but unfortunately, these exams only catch about 15-20% of vision and eye problems. When your child gets their eyes examined at school or by the pediatrician, the exams are usually limited to inspecting a child’s distance vision, and rarely go in-depth to test a child’s:
- Near vision (critical for reading)
- Focusing skills
- Binocular coordination
- Eye movement skills
- Peripheral awareness
With every one in four children experiencing an undetected vision problem, and 25-30% of children requiring some form of corrective lenses, an eye exam by a kids eye doctor is a must. Schedule a kids eye exam today – serving patients from Mount Vernon, Centerburg, Fredericktown, Danville, Homer, Newark, Bellville and Gambier.
Differences Between an Adult and a Kids Eye Exam
Because young children undergo periods of drastic growth and development, they can experience certain eye issues at an early age – such as lazy eye (amblyopia) and crossed eyes (strabismus). So, their comprehensive eye exams differ from traditional, adult eye testing. To detect a vision problem and adequately measure visual acuity, kids eye exams include more eye tracking exercises and tests for eye crossing problems. They may also include stress testing to see how your child’s eyes will function after reading or after a 6-8 hour school day.
When a baby is born, their vision is very blurry. Day by day, however; their eyesight grows stronger. In the first four months of life, a baby’s hand-eye coordination slowly begins to develop and their eyes should start to follow things that move in front of them (and they may even begin to reach for objects).
Between four and six months, a baby’s vision becomes more in focus and their eye control and movements continue to develop.
By six months of age, on average, a baby’s eyes should be able to focus equally; and between six and eight months, a baby’s vision is comparable to an adult’s in terms of focusing ability, color vision and depth perception.
Since approximately 75% of what children learn during the early years of life is processed through their vision, it’s crucial that a baby’s eyesight is developing normally; and, if it’s not, the baby receives appropriate vision support.
During an infant eye test, a kids eye doctor will assess whether a baby’s vision is developing normally by:
- Testing pupil responses with light to see whether the pupils open and close properly.
- Testing eye movement by showing a baby an object and seeing if he or she will fixate on it and follow it as it moves.
- Testing preferential looking by using objects, such as cards, that are blank on one side and have a pattern on the other. The pattern is used to attract the baby’s eyes to assess vision capabilities without a standard eye chart.
The age from three to five is significant for a child, as this is the phase where pre-writing and pre-reading skills are acquired and a wide array of proficiencies are learned.
The aspects of vision that play a central role in the development of these skills are:
- Eye tracking
- Eye fixation
- Eye focusing
- Eye teaming
- Peripheral vision/awareness
When it comes to testing the vision of a preschool-aged child, it’s important to note that kids do not need to know their letters to have success with eye exams.
Common eye tests for young, preschool children include:
- LEA symbol charts, where special symbols – like a house, a circle and an apple – are used instead of letters.
- Retinoscopy test, where a light is shined into the eye to assess the reflection from the retina, or back of the eye. This test is important to help optometrists determine an eyeglass prescription if a child needs one.
- Random dot stereopsis testing utilizes 3-D glasses and a special pattern of dots to measure how well a child’s eyes move and work together.
During these eye tests, optometrists are always on the lookout for signs of:
- Nearsightedness
- Farsightedness
- Astigmatism
- Lazy eye (amblyopia)
- Crossed or eye misalignment (strabismus)
- Inability to maintain eye alignment when viewing near objects (convergence insufficiency)
- Focusing ability, depth perception and color vision
A child’s vision will continue to develop and change throughout their entire life, especially during early and middle childhood and into adolescence.
Because growth can cause vision to change quickly, and, often times, without the child even realizing the shift in their eyesight, monitoring vision on a consistent bases is imperative.
Eye tests for school-aged children closely mirror those of preschool children, and closely test for:
- Visual acuity
- Eye focusing
- Eye teaming
- Eye-hand tracking
- Visual perception
It’s important to reiterate that there is a difference between a vision screening and a vision examination, as noted above. Early intervention by an eye doctor is key and can make a significant difference in your child’s development.
What Kind of Pediatric Eye Doctor Should Your Child See?
As your child grows, it’s vital to turn to a pediatric eye doctor to assess and monitor your child’s eye health.
Why a pediatric eye doctor vs a standard or adult eye doctor? Pediatric eye doctors are specially trained and more prepared to assess a child’s eye, identify eye problems, and take the best course of action to address, treat and/or correct a child’s vision condition.
When looking for a kids eye doctor, you may notice that there are different types of pediatric eye doctors. Which eye doctor should you choose for your child and his/her needs or eye condition(s)?
To help make the decision a bit easier, we discuss the three main types of eye care professionals, what they specialize in, and address other top questions related to pediatric eye exams. Read more:
FAQ About Kids Eye Exam Appointments
A widely held recommendation by optometrists, an initial, comprehensive eye exam is beneficial at six months of age. Children should also have eye exams at three-years-old (before preschool) and five- or six-years-old (before first grade). From there, an annual eye exam is important to ensure their vision is supporting their living/learning needs.
A kids eye exam will depend on your child’s age. In general, however; a kids eye exam will assess basic visual acuity (distance and near vision) and the following visual skills:
- Binocular vision
- Focusing
- Peripheral Vision
- Color Vision
- Hand-eye Coordination
- Tracking
Kids eye exams also check for eye diseases and other health conditions.
By making an appointment with the right children’s eye doctor, your child will have fun or, at the very latest, will be able to relax enough to have a successful exam.
Be sure to tell the doctor about any relevant personal history of your child, such as a premature birth, developmental delays, family history of eye problems, eye injuries, medications your child is taking, and any current vision concerns or issues.
Your child should have a comprehensive eye exam every year. An annual eye exam will ensure that any changes in vision are detected and your child will continue to receive the proper vision support – such as a prescription – he or she needs.
A comprehensive child’s eye exam can range in cost, depending on insurance coverage. Some patients only pay a copay, while others – without vision insurance – may pay full cost around $100-$150.
Paying attention to your child’s vision is an important thing to do. As a parent, there are many ways you can help improve your child’s vision. Use this guide to help you understand where your child’s eyes are at, depending on their age, and how you can help develop their vision.
Ensure Your Child is Developing & Keeping Up in School with an Annual Kids Eye Exam
Patients from Mount Vernon, Centerburg, Fredericktown, Danville, Homer, Newark, Bellville, Gambier and surrounding areas come to iCare Vision for kids eye exams.
To make sure your child’s vision is healthy and precisely supporting his or her learning and living needs, an annual visit to a kids eye doctor who specializes in treating young children is essential.
At iCare Vision, we see to it that your child’s vision is thoroughly assessed, and they find the experience fun and engaging. If your child is feeling a little anxious about the exam, they can relax and play before they see the doctor in our children’s corner and coloring area in the waiting room.
If the doctor finds that your child would benefit from glasses, your child can pick out cool frames that fit their personality with our collection of children’s frames.
Looking for more information on your child’s vision development? Check out our in-depth guide to all-things visual development from birth to age five and beyond:
