Pediatric Eye Exams

It is very important to take your children for eye exams on a regular basis. Pediatric eye care incorporates special techniques and technology to ensure accurate testing and help us accommodate young children.

Some experts estimate that approximately 5 – 10% of pre-schoolers and 25% of school-aged children have vision problems. According to the AOA, all children should have their eyes examined at 6 months of age, 3 years-old, and again at the start of school. Children without vision problems or risk factors for eye or vision problems should then continue to have their eyes examined annually throughout school years.

Pediatric eye exams are very similar to adults. Our eye doctors will determine if your child has any issues with distance or reading vision; eye alignment issues; color vision problems; eye focusing abilities; visual perceptual skills; visual-motor integration; and will look for any eye diseases.

• Some symptoms that may mean your child is having visual problems and you need to schedule an exam are:
• Short attention span; double vision; and frequent blinking;
• Avoiding reading; losing their place often while reading; and poor reading comprehension;
• Headaches; and tilting the head to one side.

If the eye doctor determines that your child has a vision problem, they may discuss several options available to your child including, but not limited to, eyeglasses or contact lenses.

Undetected learning-related vision problems in children are common and may be misdiagnosed as behavior problems or ADHD/ADD. Just another reason it is so important to schedule regular comprehensive eye exams for our children, no matter their age.

CEA is proud to be a member of the American Optometric Association (AOA) and to be enrolled as InfantSEE providers. This is a one-time service, usually for babies 6-12 months old, which offers early detection of potential eye and vision problems at no cost regardless of income or ability to pay. Contact our office for more information.