When Should Your Child Get an Eye Exam?

It’s never too early to start taking care of your children’s eye health. To ensure their eyes are vision are healthy, it’s best to schedule pediatric eye exams with a trusted local optometrist. 

Today, we talk about the recommended schedule for pediatric eye exams.

Newborn

A newborn’s eyes should be checked for fundamental indicators of eye health. This typically includes testing for blink and pupil response as well as red reflex. If the bright light shone in each eye does not return a red reflex, more testing might be needed. Furthermore, an eye doctor should conduct a comprehensive exam if your baby is born prematurely, has signs of eye disease or has a family history of childhood eye disease.

6 to 12 Months

It’s highly recommended that your child get a second screening when they are between 6 and 12 months old. During the eye exam, your child’s pediatrician will visually inspect the eyes and check for proper eye alignment and movement.

12 to 36 Months

Your child should be assessed for healthy eye development at this stage. There may be a photo screening test, in which a special camera takes pictures of your child’s eyes. These pictures help find problems, such as amblyopia or lazy eyes. If there’s an eye health issue, your child may be referred to an ophthalmologist.

3 to 5 Years Old

At this age, most children are old enough to read an eye chart and get tested for visual acuity. This process will evaluate the sharpness of their vision and check for any signs of focusing problems, such as strabismus, amblyopia and refractive errors. If any issue is found, begin treatment for these problems as soon as possible.

5 Years and Older

Another stage of screening for visual acuity and alignment should be conducted on your child at the age of five. This is because nearsightedness or myopia is the most common problem during this age, and it can be corrected with eyeglasses. If growth hormone therapy is used to treat your child, their eyes should be tested before and during treatment.

At Six One Six Vision Center, we offer services that can help you protect your child’s vision as they grow. To schedule a consultation, call (208) 514-1858, or complete our contact form.