Pediatric Eye Care Clearwater, FL
Do you have a child that is complaining of headaches? Is your child’s teacher saying they are squinting to see the board? These could be clues that they need an eye exam! The American Optometric Association (AOA) recommends that a child’s first eye exam should be at 6 months of age.
Eyesight is fundamental to learning and development, which is why we put your child’s vision health first by offering comprehensive eye exams to check if your child is experiencing an underlying vision problem.
What Is Pediatric Eye Care?
Pediatric eye care is a specialized branch of eye care services that requires extensive training and years of experience to properly diagnose and treat vision problems in the more complex field of pediatric eye conditions. This unique group of testing is important because as your child grows up it is imperative that your child maintain not only good vision but their overall eye health too.
Common Eye Disorders in Children
Adolescents often suffer from the same vision problems as adults, which is why pediatric eye care is an important part of their growth and health patterns. Some of the most common eye and vision problems children suffer from include near-and-farsightedness, astigmatism, lazy eye (amblyopia), and crossed eyes (strabismus).
Pediatric eye exams are invaluable as it is entirely possible that your child may be experiencing
eye and vision problems without you ever realizing it. Good eye health is imperative because
80% of learning is visual which is why you may find that children with eye and vision issues
have further struggled with learning.
This same principle applies to even infants who are learning about the world and developing
through sight. Healthy vision is necessary for children of all ages.
Benefits Of Pediatric Comprehensive Eye Exam
What To Expect During My Child’s Eye Exam
When we perform your child’s comprehensive eye exam, we will check their visual acuity (distance and near vision ranges), but also additional visual skills they need for their intellectual and motor skills. These include:
● Binocular vision (how both eyes work together)
● Tracking
● Focusing
● Hand-eye coordination
● Peripheral vision
● Color vision
The eye doctor will also examine the area around and inside of your child’s eye to check for any further health conditions or diseases. Which is why if you have noticed any issues that may point to any underlying vision problems, this is the best time to discuss them. Also it’s a good idea to keep a list of any relevant health history your child or family may have suffered such as
premature birth, family history of eye problems and relevant personal history, eye injuries, andany medications.
If the eye doctor does detect any issues they will discuss the available vision care options available such as contact lenses or eyeglasses, vision therapy, an eye patch, or even Ortho-k depending on what is required.
Eye Exams in Infants: Birth – 24 months
In order for your child to have the vital resources needed for intellectual and motor skills, you should have their eyes checked at certain developmental stages. You can start with a comprehensive infant eye exam at 6 months old because their visual
system starts to gradually develop within the first few months of their life. At this time they need to learn to focus and use their eyes together while processing visual information.
The eye doctor will ensure your child is seeing properly, their development is on track, as well as search for any potential issues in your child’s vision such as lazy eyes, crossed eyes, astigmatism, and near-or-farsightedness. If your child was born prematurely or is experiencing developmental delay, they may need to have their eyes examined more frequently to ensure they are progressing.
Eye Exams in Preschool Children: 2-5
During their preschool years, children experience drastic growth in their fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and perceptual abilities that will prepare them to participate in a range of actions and activities such as reading and writing, engaging in sports, and even creative pursuits. As a parent, you should be on the lookout for any signs of eye problems as well as behaviors such as squinting, eye rubbing, sitting close to the television, or avoiding certain activities such as puzzles or coloring. A child that wears eyeglasses should have their eyes examined yearly.
Eye Exams in School-Aged Children: Ages 5-18
Older children who experience vision problems may begin to suffer in their social, academic,
athletic, and even personal life. School-aged children who are battling with school or
after-school activities may have underlying vision issues which in turn can affect their learning and motor development.
Some warning signs of potential vision problems include:
● Difficulty focusing and teaming their eyes (working together)
● Hand-eye coordination difficulties
● Behavioral problems
● Headaches
● Short attention span
● Tilting head to one side
● Reading issues
● Frequently blinking
● Double vision
Only an eye doctor will be able to determine if these issues are related to uncorrected vision
problems and require treatment.
Schedule Your Child’s Eye Exam Today!
Our highly trained eye doctor team promises to provide your child with the quality health care required to effectively diagnose and treat any vision problems they may have, whether this is through pediatric eye exams, comprehensive eye exams, or vision therapy. Email info@healingeyecare.com or call our offices (727)531-6956 to begin your child’s pediatric eye care today.