Your child’s eyes are incredibly important. They provide your child with clear vision to learn, play, and interact with the world around them. Your child’s vision makes up 80% of their learning potential, which can be huge for a young mind.
Regular eye exams are essential for children to maintain their ocular health and vision. Taking them to see an optometrist at certain stages in their life will ensure their eyes are developing normally and that any signs of eye disease are detected early.
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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:
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.
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.
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.
Although regular eye exams are essential to maintain your child’s eye health, some symptoms can begin to develop between appointments. It is essential to be aware of the common signs and symptoms of eye diseases:
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