The Importance of an Eye Exam for Your Child

Getting an eye exam before your child starts school is so important. They will probably get complimentary exams at school through the years, but it is important to have an optometrist or other vision care professional look at their eyes to make sure that everything is working properly.

By going before they start school, a sight issue could be detected early on so that your child will not have trouble seeing the board and therefore trouble learning. A teacher could think a child has a behavioral problem or a learning problem, and it could just be that they cannot see the board and it makes them angry and not able to keep up. They might not be able to verbalize what is wrong when asked either.

It is also important because if a child cannot see, they will likely get other physical problems because of it. Headaches are often caused from eyestrain. A child could also end up having anxiety due to their vision problems, which can lead to nausea and even stomach ulcers. Additionally, problems developing behind the eyes, such as a brain tumor, that are not causing symptoms yet but are potentially very dangerous can be detected in an eye exam. So you can see that having your child's eyes examined annually could be the key to early detection of major health issues beyond their eyesight.

Getting their eyes checked out before beginning school is also a good idea because it will give them time to adjust to glasses. It might be hard at first for a 4 or 5 year old to remember to put their glasses on in the morning. It will also help them become comfortable with their identity as a wearer of glasses in the event that other children make fun of them. Preparation is sometimes the best tool to help a child cope with and be able to deflect teasing.

Considering all of these benefits, you can see why it's a good idea to get your child an eye exam early in their lives. If they are even as young as 3 and you begin to notice them squinting at things, or if you notice a lazy eye, you will want to make sure to take them in to be checked out. The earlier a problem is caught the better the prognosis for correction.

If you do not have an optometrist or other vision care professional yet that your family goes to, make sure to look for one that is kid-friendly. Most optometrists are probably used to treating children, but you may want to take your child for a visit to meet him or her before you decide what one is best for your family. You may also want to look for one that accepts your insurance to help with costs. Hopefully by taking your children early on to be checked, you will avoid any issues that could cause problems for your child in school or in life.