Pediatric Eye Care: When to Take Your Child for an Eye Exam  

Ensuring your child's well-being and visual health is crucial. Scheduling eye exams for newborns and young children in their early stages of life is vital. This is because certain eye conditions that manifest early can impact their vision throughout their lives. Detecting and addressing these conditions can prevent minor vision problems or slow their progress to more severe and challenging issues.

Why Are Pediatric Eye Exams Important?

Caring for your child's eye health involves prioritizing regular eye exams. These exams are essential in identifying any visual problems that could hinder their abilities. The issues could affect their ability to study and potentially compromise their safety. Adequate vision and the ability to focus on different distances is crucial for successful learning.

It is important to note that only a pediatric eye doctor should conduct comprehensive eye exams. Your pediatrician can visually examine your child's eyes and vision, but it is not an alternative to one conducted by an eye specialist.

When Should Your Child Have an Eye Exam?

Newborns

When a child is born, their visual system is at an early stage of development. Their ability to see is limited to short distances. Initially, they can only focus on objects close to their faces until around six weeks of age. By this time, they usually begin to track things through the air, such as a face or colorful toy, albeit for short periods.

Newborns commonly experience the development of chronic eye discharge. This usually appears yellowish and sticky. This discharge can accumulate, causing difficulty opening their eyes. In such cases, using a clean and warm cloth to wipe away the discharge gently can be beneficial.

A Few Months to Two Years

When a child reaches a few months of age, they typically achieve several visual milestones. These include:

• Tracking moving objects, such as balls, as they move through the air

• Maintaining eye contact with their guardians or caregivers

By the age of four months, their eyes should have established more consistent and natural positions. If you observe that their eyes are crossed or misaligned, it may indicate a condition such as amblyopia or strabismus.

It is recommended for children to have their initial visit with a pediatric eye doctor at around six months old. During this visit, the doctor will conduct a comprehensive eye examination to assess their eye muscle coordination and overall eyesight.

What Tests Should You Expect?

The eye doctor will carry out the following tests to determine if your child has any refractive issues. These tests also help them identify any other underlying visual issues.

Pupil Responses

This test involves observing how your baby's pupils react to light, noting how they open and close in response.

Fixation and Tracking

This examination evaluates your infant's ability to focus and track a moving object. The ability to fixate on an object typically emerges within the first month of life.

Preferential Looking

The eye doctor will use specially designed cards, often with stripes on one side and blank on the other, to attract the baby's attention. This helps the doctor assess your baby's visual acuity.

For more on pediatric eye care, visit Northside Vision at our office in Spokane, Washington State. Call (509) 326-2772 to book an appointment today.