Why Is It Important for Children to See an Eye Doctor at a Very Early Age?

Eye exams offer an opportunity to assess a child’s vision and eye health. A pediatric eye doctor will examine a child’s eyes to ensure they are developing properly. The brief examinations or vison screenings offered by pediatricians are not substitutes for eye exams. 

Getting your child’s eyes examined early will give them a good start in life. Find out below why children must see an eye doctor, like the team at Paradise Canyon Eye Care, at a very early age. 

Children’s Eye Health

Taking care of your child’s eye health will help ensure that you set a good foundation for the future. It is necessary to schedule an exam at a very early age. Your baby may not have the ability to read an eye chart, but other tests exist to examine the eyes. 

Pediatric eye doctors in St. George at Paradise Canyon Eye Care can detect eye problems at an early age. Identifying eye issues early will help treat minor issues before they become major and more difficult and expensive to treat.

Seeing an Eye Doctor 

Children need to visit an eye doctor for many reasons. An eye doctor will help ensure that your child’s eyes are healthy and will look for signs of vision problems and anything that could indicate an eye problem. Eye exams help determine if visual skills are developing well. Experts recommend that children get their first eye exam before their first birthday. 

Infant Eye Testing

By the time they are six months old, babies should have the ability to see much like adults. During their first eye exam, your eye doctor will conduct tests to ensure that the child’s eyes are developing correctly. 

Optometrists conduct several tests that include testing pupil response to light, fixate and follow tests, and preferential looking testing. Fixate and follow testing helps determine whether the child’s eyes can follow a moving object. Preferential tests involve attracting the infant’s gaze using different cards. 

Preventive Eyecare

Children’s eye exams are meant to be a form of preventive care. They go beyond trying to find out if the child needs eyeglasses. It is vital to realize that undiagnosed eye issues can eventually lead to vision loss. 

Do not wait until your child begins school before scheduling an eye exam. If you have a family history of eye problems, it is vital to ensure that your child sees an eye doctor as early as possible. It is important to start monitoring any eye issues early.

Benefits of Eye Exams

There are many benefits to children seeing an eye doctor while they are young. Ensuring that they have healthy eyes will help set them up for success in school and life. There are eye issues that can interfere with a child’s safety and performance in school. 

Good eye health will ensure proper visual acuity for all distances, comfortable and accurate eye teaming skills, and accurate eye movement. Good visual skills enhance the child’s ability to learn. Choose the right time to schedule a visit to the eye doctor at Paradise Canyon Eye Care. 

For more on why children need to see an optometrist at a very early age, call Paradise Canyon Eye Care in St. George, Utah at (435) 334-2331.

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