Pediatric Eye Care

Adult eye care is a large part of our practice, but we haven’t forgotten about the aspiring princesses, astronauts, and superheroes out there - our children. Many of us have children, and we realize how important it is to ensure that their vision is every bit as healthy and protected as ours (if not more!) Our services come prepared to handle every Ariel, Neil, and Iron Man with child-friendly projectors that show symbols instead of letters, specialized tests for a more accurate diagnosis, and extensive knowledge from years of first-hand experience. We can’t guarantee your child will become a superhero, but they’ll be seeing like one!

Every child should be examined by an eye doctor regardless of any vision screenings done elsewhere. Some vision impairments, such as farsightedness, are often undetected during standard vision screenings. Our doctors start seeing children as young as six months old!

Why is it important for children to HAVE routine eye exams?

Comprehensive Eye Exams

When children see their pediatrician, the doctor may screen their vision as part of their check up. However, this should not take the place of a thorough examination of their eyes. A vision screening is used to identify the need of additional eye care. It can be done by a pediatrician, school nurse, or other health care professionals. A comprehensive eye exam is a thorough exam done by an eye doctor—an ophthalmologist or optometrist. The eye doctor can diagnose your child’s medical or vision problems and provide treatment. Since many learning skills are dependent on the strength of visual skills such as binocular vision, accurate eye movements, the ability to see distant objects, etc., doctors recommend that children have their first eye exam even before reaching school age.

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Ready to take the next step? Schedule an appointment online today. We see children as young as six months old!

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What are some common concerns found in children’s eyes?

Amblyopia

Amblyopia or “lazy eye” develops when there’s a disconnect between the eyes and brain which causes the brain to not recognize sight from one eye. Over time, the brain begins to continuously rely on the dominant eye causing the weaker eye’s vision to worsen. Amblyopia starts in childhood, and is the most common cause of vision loss in kids. Most of the time, parents aren’t able to recognize that their child has amblyopia until it is diagnosed by a doctor.

The great news is that if caught in the early stages, treatment can help and prevent long term vision issues.

Strabismus

Strabismus (crossed eyes) is a condition in which the eyes do not line up with one another. In other words, one eye is turned in a direction that is different from the other eye. Patients with strabismus have problems with the control of eye movement and cannot keep normal eye positions.

Strabismus does not go away on its own but it is usually treatable. With proper diagnosis and treatment, children can continue on a path of healthy development and clear vision.

Hyperopia

Farsightedness, also known as hyperopia, causes near objects or images to appear blurry. It is estimated that 13% of school age children are far-sighted. Hyperopia can usually be corrected using corrective eyeglasses or contact lenses. Being far-sighted is not just a matter of wearing glasses— hyperopia can also affect a child’s visual development and their academic and sports performances.