How Pediatric Eye Exams are Different?

Your child’s eye exam is an evaluation by an expert performed by an optometrist or an ophthalmologist. It is an evolution of the child’s vision and eye health. You may believe that the optometrist near you can conduct the eye exam. However only optometrists that have received advanced training and have the clinical tools to perform a thorough evaluation of your child’s eyes and vision are capable of performing a pediatric eye exam.

Why Are Children’s Eye Exams Important?

They are important because they ensure the health of your child’s eyes is not affected by problems of vision that can interfere with their performance in school as well as their safety. Experts estimate that around 25 percent of school-going children suffer from problems of the vision that affects their performance in the classroom. They are also at risk of myopia and the progression of this condition continues throughout their year’s school. Eye exams conducted at an early age help the children benefit from the following visual skills that are essential for optimal learning.

• Accurate eye movement skills.

• Focusing skills that are accurate and comfortable.

• Comfortable eye teaming skills.

• Visual acuity is excellent at all distances.

When Should You Have Your Child’s Eyes Examined?

Children are recommended to have a pediatric eye exam in Toronto at six months of age. Additional exams are also recommended at the age of three and again before they enter first grade which is usually at the age of five or six. You should not let the poor vision of your child affect his or her life but find a center conducting a pediatric eye exam in Toronto to evaluate the vision of your child.

A kids optometrist in Toronto will suggest that the kids should have eye exams every two years even if no vision problems are detected in the early exams. Annual exams must be conducted on children who need eyeglasses or contact lenses as recommended by the kid’s eye clinic in Toronto.

Scheduling an Eye Exam For Your Child

The best time for scheduling an appointment for the kid’s eye exam in Toronto is when he or she is happy and alert. Eye exams for children generally include a health and vision questionnaire, vision testing, determining whether eyeglasses are necessary, a thorough eye evaluation and testing of the eye alignment.

The questionnaire on the health and vision will usually contain questions about:

• Complications during pregnancy or birth.

• Frequent rubbing of the eyes.

• Excessive blinking.

• The inability to fix a gaze while looking at objects.

• Any medications being provided to the child.

• Delayed motor development.

• Any history of prematurity.

Information about whether the child has failed a vision screening should be provided to the optometrist Toronto ON during his or her visit to the pediatrician. The optometrist conducting the pediatric eye exam in Toronto will want to understand the information of any earlier eye problems and treatments that may have been provided and may include surgeries, glasses or wearing contact lenses. During the pediatric eye exam, Toronto inform the eye doctor about any family history of refractive errors, eye diseases, strabismus, and amblyopia.

By the time kids are about six months of age, they should be able to see as well as adults in terms of focusing ability, depth perception, color, and vision. When assessing whether your child’s eyes are developing normally the doctor conducting the kid’s eye exam in Toronto will use the following tests.

• Pupil responses to evaluate whether the pupil opens and closes properly in the presence of or in the absence of light.
• Preferential looking by using cards that are blank on one side but have stripes on the other to attract the gaze of the child. This method allows the optometrist to determine vision capabilities without needing a typical eye test. The pediatrician will try to understand whether your child’s eyes can fixate and follow objects such as light when it is moving.

Your Child’s Vision Screening Can Affect His Or Her Performance in School

When trying to ensure your child has the visual skills needed appropriate vision testing at an early age is vital because he or she needs to perform well in school. Children that are unable to see print or view a chalkboard can become frustrated leading to poor academic performance. Most problems with the vision of the child can be treated if they are detected early and rectified when the vision system of the child is still developing.