Children's Eye Exams

The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends regular eye exams to track children’s visual development. Infants’ eyes will generally be checked at birth. Following that, guidelines recommend eye exams:

• At 1 year
• Between 1-3
• Between 3-5
• Once yearly while in school

Keeping tabs on your child’s vision can set them up to see more clearly, and catch the onset of certain eye diseases.

Children are discovering the world around them at every moment. They build their understanding of their surroundings using all their senses, including their sight. Children’s eyes are developing rapidly, along with the rest of their bodies.

Visual cues help kids develop hand-eye coordination and take in the information taught in school. Did you know 80% of the material presented in a classroom is visual?

From birth to 12 months old, children tend to meet visual milestones, including the abilities to:

• Focus on near objects
• Follow lights & objects
• Perceive color

During toddlerhood (roughly 1–4 years), many children are able to:

• Recognize faces (like caregivers, or their own image in the mirror)
• Identify familiar objects
• Match shapes to the same shaped hole
• Focus on objects near & far
• Scribble or color

It’s important to encourage preschool-aged children to hone the skills developed as a baby. Make a point of engaging in activities like:

• Outdoor play
• Catching & throwing a ball or beanbag
• Drawing
• Simple memory games
• Puzzles & block building
• Following along & identifying pictures while being read to

By the time they reach grade school, children are often able to:

• Recognize the alphabet
• Begin reading at a basic level
• Perceive depth fairly accurately

It’s also important to remember that every child reaches milestones at their own pace. Bringing your little one in for regular eye exams helps ensure their visual development is on the right path, though it may happen at their own pace.

Even though you can’t see through your children’s eyes, you can help monitor for visual problems. Children may not mention an issue with their vision because they may not know that they could be seeing any differently. As a parent, signs to watch for include:

• Rubbing their eyes or blinking excessively
• Disinterest in or avoidance of reading
• Mentions of recurring headaches
• Covering one eye
• Head tilting
• Holding reading materials close to the face
• An eye that turns in or out

If you notice one or any of these symptoms, have your child’s eyes checked. It could help improve their sight.

From infancy to the teen years, your child needs proper eye care. Improved vision may increase their comfort level and confidence in school, sports, and at play. Keep eye health on your family’s radar.
​​​​​​​

Book an exam for yourself and your children, and allow our brother-sister optometrist duo to care for your family’s eyesight.