Kids' Eye Exams at Drs. Ditto and Musick Eye Care Center
Young eyes must develop and function correctly to take full advantage of the world's wonder. Ensuring your child's eyes and vision are healthy is critical for their ability to learn, explore, and live happy lives. That's why at Drs. Ditto and Musick Eye Care Center, we offer comprehensive pediatric eye exams designed to protect your little one's eyesight and set them on the path to success.
Getting Pediatric Eye Exams at Different Stages of Childhood
Children's eye exams are not one-size-fits-all for children of all ages. As your child grows and their visual demands change, the frequency and focus of these exams also evolve. They can also uncover broader health concerns, as certain eye conditions indicate underlying health issues.
Request an appointment with your pediatric eye doctor at Drs. Ditto and Musick Eye Care Center to prioritize your little one's eye health.
Below is a breakdown of the necessary pediatric eye exams at different stages of your child's development.
Infancy and Early Childhood (0 to 2 years)
The moment a child opens their eyes after birth, their visual system undergoes a remarkable development journey. In the first few months of life, their eyes learn to focus, track objects, and work together harmoniously.
The American Optometric Association recommends that infants receive their first eye exam at around six months. This initial evaluation assesses their visual development and detects potential concerns, such as lazy eye (amblyopia) or crossed eyes (strabismus). Early detection of these issues is crucial, as interventions are most effective during these formative years.
Preschool Years (2 to 5 years)
Between 2 and 5, your child's visual system continues to mature rapidly. Regular eye exams during these years ensure that their eyes are working together, focusing accurately, and processing visual information efficiently — visual skills that are essential for learning.
These exams are also an opportunity to detect refractive errors such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism, which can also impact learning and overall visual comfort.
Elementary School, Pre-Teen and Teen Years (6 to 18 years)
As your child transitions into elementary or high school, their visual demands become more complex. This is because the demands of schoolwork, digital devices, and extracurricular activities like sports increase, which can put significant strain on their eyes.
Although many schools offer vision screenings, these screenings are limited in scope. They may not detect underlying visual challenges impacting your child's learning and overall well-being. Remember that good vision goes beyond seeing clearly; it's also about your child's visual skills.
If your child has poor visual skills, they’ll likely encounter difficulties in various aspects of their academic and daily life. For instance, they might struggle with reading comprehension, experience headaches and eye fatigue during prolonged screen time, or face difficulty maintaining focus during classroom lessons. This can impact their behavior and overall academic performance, leading to misdiagnosis of ADHD or learning disabilities.
Regular eye exams during this period help monitor their visual health and provide solutions to manage potential discomfort, digital eye strain, and myopia progression.