Keeping an Eye on Your Whole Family
Regular vision care isn’t just for adults; annual eye exams are crucial for children’s eye health and vision, too. The vision test at your pediatrician’s office only checks distance vision; it is NOT an eye exam! Failure to detect and treat vision disorders such as problems with eye muscle function, depth perception, and near vision, in children affects development, learning performance, self esteem, social-emotional behavior, etc. Are shin pads, shoulder pads, and shoes, more important than a back to school comprehensive eye exam? We can hear you saying, “I had no idea!” all the way over here.
Kid’s Eye Health
At a stage in life when every minute is an educational experience, why risk missing a single moment? Early detection of issues is crucial to preventing eye problems later. Children should have their eyes examined at least annually, or as recommended by your doctor, even if they don’t indicate that there are any problems. Kids usually don’t realize that they aren’t seeing optimally. You can help protect your child’s eyes by starting eye care at a young age.
Our Doctors recommend the following timeline for kids’ eyecare:
- InfantSEE screening age 6-12 months
- At least one eye exam between the ages of 3 and 5 to check for any conditions that could have long-term effects
- An eye exam starting before first grade, and yearly after that
Some notes regarding this timeline:
InfantSEE is a screening program for infants age 6-12 months and includes dilation. If the parent is noticing a problem they want addressed, it will be a full exam or office visit billed to insurance or self pay. Please schedule these exams with Dr. Hendricks, as he is our only InfantSEE provider at this time.
Patients age 1-3 should only need to be seen if the parent is noticing a problem like patient is running into things, was injured, rubbing eyes, red eye, etc.
Patients age 3 and up can be scheduled with any doctor, and please note that if all testing cannot be completed on the same day due to patient cooperation, we can always have the patient come back another day to complete the exam or refer if indicated!
Doctor Hendricks is our practice’s InfantSEE® Provider. He performs one time comprehensive eye assessments on infants 6-12 months, at no cost, regardless of income, ensuring that eye and vision care becomes an essential part of infant wellness care to improve a child’s quality of life.
Kid’s Eyeglasses and Protective Eyewear
Should your child need corrective lenses, our doctors will make a recommendation with kids’ active lifestyles in mind.
Got a quick second? Make an appointment today — or simply stop in. Our expert optometry team of Maple Grove Eye Doctors, opticians, and technicians are ready to help with eye exams and more.
Not sure what you need? Our doctors will answer your questions in real-time.
Got more than a quick second? Stop in often, any day of the week!
Already have your Rx from a different clinic, and it’s not working for you? Bring it to us, or stop in and let us take it from there. One of our team members can call your eye doctor for your prescription to check that it is right for you.