Every parent wants their kids to be healthy and happy. We take them to the pediatrician for annual wellness visits and to the pediatric dentist to prevent cavities, but many parents forget to make an annual eye exam a priority for their child. Why? If a child does not complain about their vision, things must be fine, right? So by that logic, then why do we take our children to their other health visits? It’s called preventative care. It is crucial for long term health and wellness. Children grow so quickly and while the majority don’t need glasses as young children, some do. If a child does not have an annual eye exam a parent cannot know. Children adapt, so unless we are checking eye health and prescriptions in our office annually, a parent won’t truly know the accuracy and efficiency of their vision. Many of our patients don’t need glasses, but children’s eyes can change dramatically as they get older.
We recommend not waiting for your child to complain about their vision. By the time they do, there may have been a vision problem for months. The American Optometric Association recommends a child’s first eye exam to be at age 3 and then again at age 5 (yearly thereafter). Insure your child’s vision isn’t holding them back in school or sports by having an annual eye health exam. It’s easier than the dentist and there are no shots!
