When Should I Have My Child’s Eyes Examined?
As your child grows, their eyesight will change rapidly. Having an eye care professional evaluate their ocular health and vision will check that everything is developing as expected, and any early signs of disease are treated promptly.
Common eye diseases that occur in childhood include:
Infants
Please have your child’s eyes assessed at birth to ensure they are healthy. Your optometrist will likely perform a red reflex test used to screen for abnormalities at the back of the eye and other vision-threatening conditions. During this test, if any signs of disease are detected, further examination may be necessary.
Your child’s first comprehensive eye exam should be between the ages of 6 and 9 months. This will involve a few tests to assess their eyes’ health, eye muscle movement and alignment, and how their eyes focus.
If you notice your child’s eyes look crossed or misaligned, contact us for a full assessment.
Toddlers & Preschoolers
When your child is between the ages of 2 and 5, you should have their eyes thoroughly examined again. When your child enters school, they will begin to need their eyes more to learn and develop. Having their eyes assessed at this point will test their visual development, depth perception, hand-eye coordination, and visualization skills to ensure they are on-par for their age.
School-Age
Before your child enters Kindergarten, have their eyes examined. If it is determined they need eyeglasses, Alberta’s Eye See… Eye Learn program will provide their glasses free of charge.
Once your child is in school, be sure to have their eyes examined annually to monitor for any changes to their eye health or vision. Approximately 60% of children experience reading difficulties due to an undiagnosed or untreated vision problem, so it is crucial to examine them to prevent any discomfort or unnecessary challenges in school.
