Keeping an Eye on Your Whole Family
Regular vision care isn’t just for adults; annual eye exams (different than an ‘eye test’) are crucial for children’s eye health and vision, too. The vision test or ‘eye 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 kids’s eye 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. Remember that an ‘eye test’ is not an eye exam.
Our Doctors recommend the following timeline for kids’ eyecare:
At least one eye exam between the ages of 3 and 5 to check for any conditions that could have long-term effects or earlier if parents are noticing any signs of a problem such as lazy eye, blocked tear duct, misalignment of eyes, extreme sensitivity to light, or pink eye (red crusty eyes). By age 3-4 months, babies should be able to track objects or make steady eye contact.
An eye exam starting before first grade, and yearly after that. A ‘vision test’ is not adequate for optimal eye health and vision.
Some notes regarding this timeline:
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 of our doctors, 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! All of our doctors are “Kids’ eye doctors’!. We love to see the little ones in our office. While some kids may be screened with an ‘eye test’ at school or at the pediatrician’s office, remember that this only screens for distance vision. Myopia or near sightedness is a growing concern with kids on mobile devices so frequently, this condition is only discoverable with a full eye exam and can be treated early to avoid it developing into a lifelong problem. Constant eye rubbing can also be a concern because it can cause a serious progressive eye condition called Kerataconus and should be discussed with one our kids’ eye doctors – in other words, any of our doctors! An ‘eye test’ would not discover either of these conditions.
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.