Pediatric Eye Exams At Optique 

It is important that you schedule an appointment for your child’s pediatric eye exam at a very young age. According to the American Optometric Association, children should have their first exam when they are six months old. They should be seen again when they are three-years-old. If you are bringing your child for their first pediatric eye exam, you should know what to expect.

What You Will Need

Before bringing your child to see the eye doctor, you should make a list of any medications, vitamins, or supplements that they are taking. You should also list any medical conditions that your child has. Your eye doctor will want to know the name and contact information of your child’s primary care physician. Finally, if you have any questions or concerns, you should write them down so that you don’t forget what you wanted to ask the doctor.

The Eye Exam

The type of eye exam your child has would depend on their age. Children of all ages would be asked to follow a flashlight with their eyes. This would allow the optometrist to see how well your child’s visual function is. Toys are often used for very young children.

To test your child’s visual acuity, they would be asked to identify pictures or shapes. If your child knows their letters, the doctor will use a standard eye chart to test your child’s vision.

Your family eye doctor will use a light to determine if your child’s eyes are straight or turned. If your child’s vision is turned, your optometrist will use prisms to measure the amount of misalignment. There are treatments available to straighten out your child’s vision.

If your child is older and cooperative, the eye doctor will put drops in their eyes to dilate them. This allows the doctor to look into your child’s eyes to check for any diseases and conditions of the eye. When your child’s eyes are dilated, it will cause temporary weakness in your child’s eyes focusing muscles. This will let the pediatric eye doctor know if your child is suffering from a refractive error such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism.

Choosing Glasses

If your child’s eye doctor prescribes eyeglasses, your child will sit down with an optician so that you can select a pair of eyeglass frames. After taking a few measurements, the frame that you chose would be sent out to the lab to have your child’s lenses put in.

Contact Optique Inc in Dallas, TX Today!

To be sure that your child can see correctly and that your eyes are healthy, you should schedule an annual exam Optique, Inc. Our optometrist in Dallas will check your child’s vision and their eye function to determine if they require any correction. From start to finish, you should expect to be in our office for about two hours. With regular eye care, you can be sure that your child’s eyes are healthy.

Having your child visit a pediatric eye doctor for routine eye exams is vital to their vision and the health of their eyes. It also can impact their education, sports performance, and so much more. If you have questions about taking your child to a kids eye doctor, we have answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.

What Are Common Eye Conditions in Children?

One of the most common eye problems in children is nearsightedness, which occurs when light focuses in front of the retina. Objects in the distance may appear blurry, but your child may not have any issue seeing up close.

Amblyopia is a term to describe a condition that causes a “lazy eye.” It happens because one of your child’s eyes is stronger than the other because they didn’t develop normal sight in one of their eyes.

Your child could have ptosis, a condition that occurs when one of his or her eyelids droop and cover the eye. A child might also develop a cataract, which is a clouding over the eye.

How Early Should I Bring My Children to the Optometrist?

Typically, you want to bring your child in to see a pediatric optometrist between the ages of six to nine months. During this exam, the optometrist is able to detect certain issues with your child’s vision, such as if your child’s eyes work together.

How Often Should My Child See a Kids Eye Doctor?

Your child should have a second screening between the ages of two and five. Once your child reaches kindergarten, he or she should get a vision screening each year, unless the optometrist tells you otherwise.

What Do I Do if My Children Needs Glasses?

If you notice your child squinting or having difficulty in school seeing, it’s important you get his or her vision checked. If your child should happen to need glasses, make it as pleasant as possible. Let your child know the process isn’t painful and the benefits of wearing glasses.

What Age Can My Child Get Contacts?

There isn’t a specific age when your child should get contacts. It’s a personal decision whether your child wants them. They do require much more care than glasses, so you have to consider your child’s maturity level. For instance, do you constantly have to remind your child to do his or her chores? Or does he or she just do them? Evaluate how well your child takes care of his or her things as a reference point.