Your Child’s First Eye Exam

You no doubt have enough to do when you are a new parent – and part of the list includes taking your baby to the pediatrician for their regular checkups. But what about the eye doctor? Children’s eyes should be checked early to make sure they are developing properly and to identify any problems. When should your child have his or her first exam?

The first appointment

Many eye care professionals recommend that the first eye exam should take place by the time a child turns 1. This may seem like a very young age, but it gives the doctor the chance to check for any issues that may be starting to develop but that can be reversed if they are caught early enough. It is especially important to make an appointment for your baby or toddler if eye problems run in your family, such as crossed eyes or lazy eye. You may wonder how the doctor can test an infant’s eyes if they can’t read or even talk yet. Not to worry – eye doctors have different techniques and equipment to check eyes and diagnose problems, even in very young children.

Eye care as they age

Of course, regular eye exams are important for older children, too. Parents may only be made aware of some issues when their children start school, when they discover their child is having trouble seeing to the front of the classroom or problems reading, for instance. In that case you should make an eye appointment right away. But if your kids don’t seem to be having any issues, after their initial exam they should see the eye doctor every 2 years, or every year if they wear glasses or contacts.

Your child’s first eye exam is an important part of helping them to lead a happy, healthy life. It is one more thing to add to the list – but it is so important! If your kids haven’t had an eye exam ever, or if they notice changes in their eyes, make an appointment at Richens Eye Center in St. George, UT, or Mesquite, NV, right away. Call (435) 986-2020 today!