When born, infant’s eyesight is not completely developed. Over the first few months of life, the eyes only see high contrast colors, but by six months of life, vision sharpens. At this point, a child should have his or her first eye exam. That may seem young, but it means that if there are vision issues, they can be addressed instead of waiting until the child is old enough to understand how to talk about their vision. At the first exam, even as young as six months, the optometrist can determine if the eyes are developing as expected and are working together.
The next exams should be around 3 to 4 years old. By this age, the eyes have finished developing and eye glasses can be prescribed to correct any vision impairments. After this point, it’s best to schedule annual exams to have eyes checked for changes as the child grows. The optometrist has treatments available for many eye conditions; for example, a “lazy eye” (amblyopia) can receive therapeutic treatments to correct and strengthen the eye. For a child, therapies like having to wear an eye patch are best done before school age, so they don’t have social repercussions and they are more easily adaptable to differences.
Children often don’t know their eyesight is not what it should be and may only complain about headaches. They may also squint when looking at something. If left unchecked, poor eyesight can be a hindrance to learning. Although school exams are provided, an appointment with an optometrist will be much more thorough. Contact us at Signature Optometry in Fresno for an appointment today.