When Do Children Need Eye Exams?

With so many pediatric appointments on the calendar early in your kids’ lives, it’s easy to let vision checks fall by the wayside. And, certainly, your pediatrician should perform at least some level of eye check when you visit them.

Still, though, a regular eye exam with an optometrist trained in pediatric eye care can ensure that your child never has to deal with the challenges that come with faulty vision. To protect them from the inability to see everything from the board at school to the ball when they’re playing with friends, you can schedule visits at our Benjamin Optical offices throughout New York City. Here, our team of pediatric eye care specialists can help you get your child on the right exam schedule.  

First, let’s look at our general recommendations. 

The right pediatric eye care schedule for kids

Generally, eye care experts recommend starting eye exams for children by their first birthday. They should get another exam before they start kindergarten to ensure they’ll be able to see well while at school. 

From there, assuming your child sees well, you can generally schedule their eye exams two years apart. 

Keep a lookout, though, because kids don’t necessarily know to tell their parents that they’re having trouble seeing. Looking for warning signs of vision trouble can help you get care for your child’s vision when they need it. 

Signs it’s time for an eye exam

Of course, if your pediatrician recommends an eye exam, don’t wait to schedule the visit.

Beyond that, certain signs can tell you it’s time to schedule an appointment with the eye doctor earlier than the general every-other-year recommendation. 

Some indicators that your child would benefit from a visit to a pediatric optometrist include:

• Squinting when they’re looking at something far away
• Headaches
• Using a finger to track their spot on the page as they read
• Rubbing their eyes
• Always sitting close to the TV
• Holding their books close to their face
• Grades that seem unusually low
• Telling you their eyes feel tired, especially after computer work or reading

If any of your older children have vision issues, you may also want to set your younger kids up with regular eye exams to ensure any problems get detected — and corrected — early. This helps them avoid eye strain or the troubles at school that can come with not seeing clearly. 

To schedule an eye exam for your child, call any of our offices or book the earliest available appointment online today.