By Dr. Gary Goberville
As a parent, you may wonder whether your pre-schooler has a vision problem or when a first eye exam should be scheduled. Eye exams for children are extremely important. Experts say 5 to 10 percent of pre-schoolers and 25 percent of school-aged children have vision problems. Early identification of a child’s vision problem is crucial because, if left untreated, some childhood vision problems can cause permanent vision loss. Studies also show that students with uncorrected vision get lower grades.
When should kids have their eyes examined?
According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), infants should have their first comprehensive eye exam at 6 months of age to rule out problems such as retinal Blastoma a serious eye tumor. Children then should receive additional eye exams at 3 years of age. For school-aged children, the AOA recommends an eye exam every two years if no vision correction is required. Children who need eyeglasses or contact lenses should be examined annually or according to their eye doctor’s recommendations.
Early eye exams are important because children need the following basic visual skills for learning:
• Near vision
• Distance vision
• Eye teaming (binocularity) skills
• Eye movement skills
• Focusing skills
• Peripheral awareness
Remember, vision screenings and pediatric exams are good but do not detect many issues and problems in your child’s eyes. They should not be mistaken as a complete eye exam.
When scheduling an eye exam, choose a time when your child is usually alert and happy. Specifics of how eye exams are conducted depend on your child’s age, but an exam generally will involve a case history, vision testing, determination of whether eyeglasses are needed, testing of eye alignment, an eye health examination and a consultation with you regarding the findings.
Dr. Gary Goberville, Optometric Physician
Eye Site Vision Center, 2344 N. University Dr. Coral Springs
954-344-3937 • www.eyesitevision.com