Children’s eye examinations are so important for their well-being. Imagine living in a blur, but you did not realize you could see any better. Children do not always know that their vision is not clear. Parents sometimes may mistakenly think that their children’s eyes are functioning well. A pediatrician may be able to check their children’s visual acuity every year with a simple vision test which determines which line they can see. This is not always the case. Some children may see well with each eye individually, but their eyes may not work well together.
The American Optometric Association recommends that children see an optometrist for the first time by age, 6 months. There is a higher probability that a child may have a vision problem if a parent has a vision problem. So if you are nearsighted, farsighted, have astigmatism or an eye turn (strabismus), make sure you bring your children to their optometrist as soon as possible. Some eye conditions may lead to vision loss if not treated at an early age. The sooner the vision problem is treated, the better.
Children do not need to be able to respond verbally in order for an optometrist to know or understand how they see. Many optometrists have specialized equipment to perform children’s eye examinations. We can tell how well children’s eyes are aligned, if one eye is not seeing as well, and how high their prescription for glasses is. There are tiny pediatric frames/contact lenses to fit the tiniest of faces. Technology today is amazing. Call your optometrist to find out if they are equipped to see your children today.
There are many options to treating vision problems that include glasses, contacts, vision therapy, patching, and ocular surgery. Some children only need to wear glasses part-time. Contacts are another great option for children. Daily disposable contacts are a great option for children under 18 years of age. They do not need to clean them and parents do not need to worry about infections.
Sunglasses are also very important for all children to wear. Remember sunglasses need to have 100 percent UVA and UVB protection in order to be beneficial. Children are in the sun playing more often and require the eye protection. UV damages the lens inside our eyes that leads to cataract formation. All parents should have sunglasses with the proper UV protection as well. Our office has hundreds of these ideal sunglasses for both children and adults. Many insurance companies will cover sunglasses as well as contacts and glasses.
For more information, please call Dr. Carol Aivazian of 20/20 Optometric Eye Care at 661-287-3939.