Your child’s eyes are extremely important to their development. In the early years, clear vision helps them discover the world around them and later, as they go through school, their eyesight will allow them to learn more effectively: in fact, approximately 80% of what is taught in schools is presented visually.
Visiting an optometrist for a children’s eye exam is therefore critical to their overall development. During this test, the eye doctor can ensure that your child has all the visual skills required for proper learning, including:
- Focusing skills
- Eye-teaming skills
- Near/distance vision
- Peripheral awareness
- Eye movement skills
Our Calgary Optometrists Help Keep Your Child’s Vision Clear
At Blink Eyewear, we provide a wide range of eye care services for your whole family. Our qualified optometrists are able to check to see if your child’s eyes are developing correctly and detect any vision problems early on before they lead to more serious complications.
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CHILDREN’S EYE CARE IN CALGARY
When is The Right Time to Take My Child to the Optometrist?
Because eyesight is so important to a child’s development, it’s recommended that your little one visit an optometrist at 3 years of age, before entering Grade 1 and then again at age 5-6.
If no eye disorders are present during these checkups, then your child should continue to visit the optometrist once every two years. Children who need vision correction and wear eyeglasses should have an eye exam once every year, or as recommended by your optometrist.
To help keep you on the right track when it comes to the health of your child’s eyes, here how soon (and how often) you need to schedule a visit to your eye doctor:
Infants (< 6 months old)
Your newborn will be checked for general eye health by a pediatrician or family physician in the hospital nursery. High-risk newborns, such as those with a family history of eye problems or those who have obvious vision irregularities, should be checked by a qualified eye doctor.
1 Year Old
During your child’s first year of life, he/she should be routinely screened for eye health during checkups with the family doctor.
3 Years Old
At this age, you should book your child’s first visit to the optometrist for an eye health screening and visual acuity test.
5 Years Old
During a comprehensive children’s eye exam, your optometrist will check your child’s vision and their eye alignment.
6 Years Old and Up
From this age onwards, routine eye exams with the eye doctor are recommended. This is once every two years for children without any vision irregularities and once a year for children who wear eyeglasses/contact lenses.
8 Signs of Vision Problems in Children: What You Need to Watch Out For
As a parent, you want to do all you can to ensure your child's health is in excellent condition, but it’s often difficult to tell whether your child has eyesight problems. That’s why regular visits to the eye doctor are so important.
However, there are a number of signs you can watch out for, including:
- Excessive tearing
- Light sensitivity
- Straining of eyes to see better
- Children losing their place when reading or using their fingers as a guide
- Your child is sitting too close to the TV or holding the book too close
- Frequent eye rubbing
- Avoiding activities such as homework or reading
- Avoiding activities that require long-distance vision, such as playing sports
If your child does show any of these symptoms, then it’s important to book an eye exam with your optometrist as soon as possible.
Remember: When detected early, ocular issues have a higher issue of being treated successfully, lowering the risk of any serious complications and restoring your child’s clear vision.
Call Today
To find out more about how our team of optometrists can help protect your child’s, and your whole family’s vision, visit one of our three branches, Crowfoot (67 Crowfoot Terrace NW, T3G 4J8), West Springs (1009 873 85 St SW, T3H 0J5) or Creekside (12192 Symons Valley Rd NW, T3P 0A3).
Alternatively, you can contact our team at our Crowfoot Branch (403-547-5417), West Springs (403-242-0999) or Creekside (403-516-2292).