children's eye care
Our doctors are experienced when it comes to caring for children’s eyes! They have children of their own and understand how important pediatric eye care is.
when should my child have their first eye exam?
We follow the guidelines of the American Optometric Association, summarized below:
01
First Eye Exam
Between 6-12 months
While this may seem early, it allows us to ensure your child’s eyes are healthy and developing normally.
We are the only InfantSee provider in the Carbon Valley community – meaning we offer no-cost comprehensive eye exams to children age 6-12 months.
02
Second Eye Exam
Around 3 years of age
This exam is to ensure correct eye alignment and to check for significant prescriptions. There are also rare ocular diseases that can be first detected at this age.
03
Third Exam
Spring/Summer before your child starts kindergarten.
This is a great time for an eye exam, because it ensures your child's eyes and vision area ready for school. We'll make sure your kid can see the board from the back of the class and that their focusing and eye teaming is ready for them to learn how to read.
PEDIATRIC EYE CARE Q&A
How do you know if a young child needs glasses? They don't know letters and can't do the "1 or 2."
​We have a technique called Retinoscopy that allows us to measure the power of the eye, and determine if glasses are needed, without any input from the patient. We shine a light into your child's eye and can measure the reflection, and this is their glasses prescription. It is a skill requiring many hours of training and practice, and our doctors are very experienced.
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My child had their eyes checked at their doctor’s visit/school screening, is that enough?
A study conducted by the State University of New York found that 41% of children who were only tested for acuity (how low they could read the eye chart) had other eye problems that were missed. The screening devices check for a glasses prescription, but the machines are not 100% accurate and do not assess the health of the eye. A vision screening is not a substitute for a comprehensive eye exam.
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