What Should You Know Before an Eye Exam for Kids?

Kids have regular health checkups with their paediatrician during their growth years to ensure their overall health. These health checkups also include eye exams for kids. However, it is not as proper and thorough as performed by an ophthalmologist. 

The eye checkups performed by a paediatrician cannot be substituted for the paediatric eye exam done by a paediatric ophthalmologist. Paediatric ophthalmologists often perform a detailed eye exam for kids to ensure good eye health and check if they suffer from or are susceptible to any potential eye problems.

Why is an eye exam for kids important?

Newborn children and young kids are very likely to face vision and eye impairments. This is because, during infancy, the eye muscles are still developing. Any issues that hamper this development might lead to permanent vision problems in children. Some common vision problems in children are squint, lazy eye, myopia, etc. 

Hence, to identify and treat these vision problems early, eye exams in kids are extremely important. By taking your child for regular eye exams, you ensure good eye health for your child and also better performances in school along with an overall healthy lifestyle.

Eye exams in kids are also important because your child requires specific visual skills for their overall development and learning. These skills include good visual acuity, which means a good near and far vision, good strength in the eye muscles, ensuring accurate focusing of the eyes and precise movements of eyes in all directions and accurate eye teaming skills.

What questions will be asked during a child eye exam?

Eye exams for kids are important to ensure good eye health. Now you must be wondering what to expect at a child eye exam? 

Well, when you first take your child to a paediatric ophthalmologist, you should expect a few common questions about your child’s birth history, including the type of delivery, birth weight, and any complications during pregnancy and childbirth.

You will also be asked about your child’s medical history and family history for any eye diseases and eye problems that may be hereditary. Make sure you tell the doctor every detail.

Having your child’s complete history is important before the doctor performs the paediatric eye exam. You should also make sure to inform any changes that you might have noticed in your child’s vision, including frequent blinking, difficulty in making eye contact and poor tracking.

Most eye exams will help you identify any vision problems in your child as early as possible, which can be treated on time to avoid a lifelong impairment and any further complications that would severely affect your child’s life and overall health.

Why Choose Centre for Sight?

Centre for Sight is one of the largest chains of eye care hospitals in the country that work to provide eye care services. It is also a great place to take your children for paediatric eye exams as the Centre for Sight has the best paediatric ophthalmologists who will ensure that your child gets the treatment they deserve. 

Article: Things to Know Before an Eye Exam for Kids | Centre for Sight
Author: CFS Editorial Team   |   Aug 23 2021 | UPDATED 02:00 IST

*The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his private capacity and do not in any way represent the views of Centre for Sight.