Parents need to know about the life-long effects of routine pediatric eye exams. Did you know that such exams can help save your child’s life? Many pediatricians conduct a brief vision screening during a child’s yearly physical. However, parents should understand that such screenings are not a substitute for a comprehensive examination performed by an eye doctor.

Eye doctors use specialized diagnostic and clinical assessments and tools to determine their patients’ visual abilities and eye health. Many learning and life skills are dependent on various visual skills. These include accurate eye movements, binocular vision, good distant vision, and more. Thus, eye doctors recommend that kids should have regular eye examinations.

Why Routine Pediatric Eye Exams Are Important

You probably get routine comprehensive eye exams yourself. However, when was the last time you took your little one for a pediatric eye exam? Just like adults, kids need to have the condition and health of their eyes and vision monitored regularly.

Kids may not realize that their vision has a problem. This is a common obstacle that many parents face in determining whether their children can see as clearly as they should. Furthermore, very young kids may not have the communication skills required to express any problems they are experiencing with their eyesight.

Good Vision Can Improve Learning

You probably hear stories of kids seated at the back of the classroom whose performance begins to slip. However, when they get eyeglasses that allow them to read the blackboard again, their grades begin to improve. Struggling to read the teacher’s notes on the blackboard can have a positive impact on kids’ ability to learn.

Fortunately, an eye exam can open the door to correcting vision problems in kids. This can help them remain visually engaged in the classroom as their eyes continue to develop. Improved learning, as everyone knows, can have life-long benefits.

Improved Safety

Kids must be able to see vehicles, road signs, and traffic lights from a distance. No parent would want their child to suffer an injury that can have life-long consequences or worse due to poor eyesight. Pediatric eye exams are very effective at identifying vision problems early.

Long-term Health Benefits

Eye diseases are more common as you age. However, many can develop at any age. Some eye diseases are easily treatable, while others require more intensive treatments to prevent permanent vision impairment. By taking your child for regular pediatric eye exams, your pediatric eye doctor will be able to monitor their eyes and vision. Should any problems develop, early treatment should protect the long-term health of your little one’s eyes.

Myopia

Kids are more likely to develop nearsightedness, also called myopia. Since most kids today spend a lot of time indoors staring at digital screens, there is a significant increase in cases of rapid onset myopia.

Regular pediatric eye exams will allow for close monitoring of your little one’s vision. In many cases, early management of myopia can slow its progression. It can also minimize your little one’s risk of developing other eye problems, such as macular degeneration and glaucoma, as they grow.

For more on the life-long importance of pediatric eye exams, visit Vision One Eyecare Center at our office in Fort Mitchell or Dry Ridge, Kentucky. You can call (859) 267-1700 or (859) 407-7400 today to schedule an appointment.