Quick Action Guide
✅ IMPORTANT:
- • Regular eye exams are essential for healthy vision
- • Early detection can treat many vision problems
- • Watch for signs of vision problems in your child
- • Eye care starts from birth
📞 CALL DOCTOR IF:
- • Eyes are often red or look different
- • Excessive tearing or eye rubbing
- • Eyes don't line up or move together
- • Eyes cross after 6 months of age
- • Complaints of eye discomfort or vision problems
Why Eye Health Matters
Our eyes help us take in the world around us and play an important role in kids' development. Getting regular eye exams can keep their eyes healthy and find vision problems. Many problems and eye diseases can be treated, especially when they are found early. Good vision is essential for children's learning, social development, and overall quality of life.
Routine Eye Exams
Kids get their first eye exam in the hospital as newborns. Then, a doctor or nurse will check their eyes at each checkup. Regular eye exams help detect vision problems early, when they're most treatable.
What Eye Exams Include
Depending on your child's age and family health history, each eye exam may be slightly different. Eye exams can include:
- • Vision screening: To check the overall health of the eyes
- • Visual acuity test: To find out how sharp or clear objects appear
- • Eye alignment: To see how well the eyes work together
- • Eye muscle function: To check eye movement and coordination
- • Pupil response: To evaluate how pupils react to light
When to See a Specialist
If the pediatrician or family doctor finds a problem that needs to be checked by an eye doctor, they will recommend that your child see an ophthalmologist (a medical doctor who specializes in eye care and can perform surgery) or an optometrist (a doctor who can diagnose and treat vision problems but doesn't perform surgery).
Recommended Eye Exam Schedule
- • Newborn: First eye exam in hospital
- • 6 months: Eye exam during well-baby visit
- • 3-4 years: Comprehensive eye exam
- • Before starting school: Full eye exam
- • Every 1-2 years: During school years (or as recommended by doctor)
Glasses and Contact Lenses
Many kids and teens are nearsighted, farsighted, or have astigmatism. These problems are usually corrected with eyeglasses or contact lenses. Kids and teens who wear glasses or contacts should have yearly checkups with an eye doctor to watch for any vision changes.
Tips for Choosing Glasses for Kids
If your child needs glasses, keep these tips in mind:
- • Let kids pick their own frames: They'll be more likely to wear them
- • Plastic frames: Best for children younger than 2
- • Elastic strap: Can help keep glasses in place for active toddlers
- • Metal frames: Should have spring hinges and are OK for older kids
- • Polycarbonate lenses: Best for all kids because they are tough, impact-resistant, and light
Contact Lenses for Kids and Teens
Contact lenses may be a good choice for some older kids and teens, such as those who play sports or feel uncomfortable wearing glasses. To wear contacts safely, they should know when to wear them and not wear them, how to put them in and take them out properly, and how to clean them as instructed by the doctor.
Regular Checkups Are Important
Kids who wear glasses or contacts should have yearly checkups with an eye doctor to watch for any vision changes. Children's prescriptions can change frequently as they grow, so regular monitoring is essential.
When Should I Call the Doctor?
Many vision problems that are found early can be treated. Call your pediatrician or family doctor if you notice that your child's eyes have any concerning changes or if they complain of vision problems.
Eye Appearance Concerns
Call your doctor if you notice your child's eyes:
- • Are often red
- • Look different than usual
- • Make tears more than usual
- • Don't line up or move together
- • Look crossed (after 6 months of age)
- • Have pupils (centers) that are different sizes, or if the pupils or iris are an unusual color, or have changed color
Behavior and Symptom Concerns
Also call if your child:
- • Complains of eye discomfort
- • Rubs their eyes a lot
- • Seems very sensitive to light
- • Has trouble focusing on or following an object
School-Age Children
In school-age children, signs of a problem can include:
- • Not being able to see objects at a distance
- • Trouble reading the blackboard
- • Squinting
- • Trouble with reading
- • Sitting too close to the TV
- • Headaches
Vision Development Milestones
Newborn to 6 Months
- • Can see light and dark
- • Begins to follow objects with eyes
- • Develops eye coordination
- • Can focus on objects 8-12 inches away
6 Months to 1 Year
- • Full color vision develops
- • Depth perception begins to develop
- • Eye-hand coordination improves
- • Can track moving objects
Toddler and Preschool Age
- • Vision continues to sharpen
- • Eye-hand coordination advances
- • Depth perception fully develops
- • Ready for comprehensive eye exam by age 3-4
School Age
- • Vision skills needed for reading develop
- • Eye coordination becomes more precise
- • Visual processing skills mature
- • Regular eye exams help ensure school readiness
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How often should my child have an eye exam?
A: Children should have their eyes examined at birth, during well-baby visits, at age 3-4, before starting school, and then every 1-2 years during school years. However, if your child has vision problems or a family history of eye conditions, more frequent exams may be needed.
Q: At what age can children get contact lenses?
A: Contact lenses can be appropriate for some older kids and teens, typically starting around age 10-12, depending on maturity level and ability to care for them properly. It's important that children demonstrate responsibility and proper hygiene habits before being fitted with contacts.
Q: Can screen time affect my child's vision?
A: Excessive screen time can cause eye strain, dry eyes, and discomfort, but it typically doesn't cause permanent vision damage in children. The 20-20-20 rule helps: every 20 minutes, have your child look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
Q: What's the difference between an ophthalmologist and an optometrist?
A: An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who specializes in eye care and can perform surgery. An optometrist is a doctor who can diagnose and treat vision problems and prescribe corrective lenses, but doesn't perform surgery. Both can provide excellent eye care for children.
Q: What vision problems are most common in children?
A: The most common vision problems in children are nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), astigmatism, amblyopia (lazy eye), and strabismus (crossed eyes). Most of these can be effectively treated, especially when detected early.
Q: Is it normal for my baby's eyes to cross occasionally?
A: Yes, it's normal for a baby's eyes to occasionally cross in the first few months of life as their eye muscles develop. However, if eyes continue to cross after 6 months of age or if one eye turns in consistently, this should be evaluated by a doctor.
⚠️ Medical Disclaimer
This article provides general information about children's vision development and care and is not intended to replace professional medical or eye care advice. Always consult your pediatrician, family doctor, or eye care specialist for proper diagnosis and treatment of vision problems. Early detection and treatment of vision problems are crucial for healthy vision development and can prevent lifelong vision issues.