When should a child have their first eye exam? If you have been wondering how old your child has to be for his or her first eye exam, well we have some insights on pediatric eye care.
We understand that the first several years of life with a new child can be both exciting and worrisome. They grow and change so fast. They have runny noses, ear infections, scraped knees and hopefully nothing worse. We sometimes forget that a child’s eyes are growing and developing at an extremely fast rate.
As a board certified Ophthalmologist and a father of three children under the age of 11, Dr. Mozayeni feels strongly that a child should have their first eye exam completed by a pediatric ophthalmologist around the age of two.
Seems young though, right? You observe your child using their vision everyday and it all seems fine. But children know how to accommodate. They may be able to see but their world may be blurry and they don’t know any different. Additionally, it is during the first eight years of development that eye issues occur. Typically the earlier they are caught the earlier they can be treated and hopefully corrected.
Older children can be tested on the regular Snellen chart (you know the one with the big E on it) that is used for adults. Your two year old on the other hand doesn’t know letters so they can’t read an eye chart yet. How will a doctor check their vision? A Pediatric Ophthalmologist is specifically trained to handle these young patients and test their vision with special instruments and fun mechanical toys. It’s a simple pain free exam that is often covered by Insurance.
So if you are a parent of a young child and have not taken them to see a Pediatric Ophthalmologist, this is a good time to do a little research and make an appointment. Here is a great blog posted on Charlotte Smarty Pants written by our friends at Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat.
