Eye Exams and Children

One of the most common questions we receive is “When should I bring my child in for an eye exam?”

A child’s vision and the development of that vision is very critical to a child’s progression.  That is why the American Optometric Association recommends the first comprehensive eye exam be performed at six months.  They even offer a program called Infant See that will provide this first complete ophthalmological evaluation free of charge for infants aged 6-12 months.  Dr. Bodkin feels so strongly about an infant’s vision that he is a participating provider with Infant See.  During this exam, Dr. Bodkin will check for normal function of visual systems as well as ensure there are no structural defects.  If a problem is found, then we can address it before it becomes permanent.

As long as everything is functioning properly at that first exam, then the child should return at 3 years of age for their next complete eye health evaluation.  Of course, if the parents notice any changes prior to that, then they should bring the child in immediately.  These changes include an eye turning in/out/up/down, a child always closing one eye, a child always rubbing one eye, a child turning or tilting their head, or any thing else that looks out of the ordinary.

The next scheduled eye exam occurs just prior to the child starting school.  It is imperative that we make sure the visual system is working optimally to ensure there are no visual boundaries to learning.

After that, the child should be seen every year for their annual checkups.  These examinations allow us to find any vision development problems early which gives us the chance to treat them effectively before they become permanent.

Children are often fearful of going to the doctor’s office and the eye doctor is no exception.  One way parents can help ease their child’s fears is to bring them with them to their own eye exam.  This way the child will see everything that goes on during the eye exam and be assured that it is a painless process.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to give us a call at 843-388-6200.

If you need to schedule your child’s exam, you may call us or schedule online.