A pediatric exam is how your child’s eye doctor checks your little one’s eyes to ensure they are working optimally. When your child is making art or reading, they are not just showing creativity. They are exercising and sharpening their visual skills.

Pediatric eye exams help keep your child's eye and vision health in good shape. They ensure your child sees clearly and address any arising eye health issues. The exams usually last longer than routine visits to the doctor. Your child's visit may take around two hours, during which your child will have a detailed eye checkup.

What Can You Expect During the Eye Exam?

If it is your child's first eye exam, you can expect to answer questions about:

 

• Your birth experience, including any problems during pregnancy or labor
   

• Your child's weight at birth and whether your pregnancy was full-term
   

• Family history of eye disease
   

• Your child’s health history, including previous treatments, eye issues, current treatments, and any allergies your child may have

Be sure to inform the eye doctor about any developmental lags or failed vision screening tests done at school or by a pediatrician. Also, tell the doctor if you have noticed your child blinking, rubbing their eyes frequently, or having trouble keeping eye contact. It is also crucial to mention if your child has poor eye-tracking skills.

Eye Exam for Babies (Six Months to Two Years)

At six months of age, the eye doctor will test for eye-focusing skills, depth perception, and color vision.

The doctor at Vision One Eyecare Center will check whether your child’s eyes are growing normally. How are the pupils responding to light? Can your child focus and follow an item as it moves? How do your child's eyes react when looking at a fascinating object next to one that is not interesting?

The exam will also check for farsightedness, nearsightedness, astigmatism, and amblyopia. If the eye doctor detects an eye problem, they will recommend appropriate treatment to address it early.

Eye Exam for Children Between Two to Five Years Old

An eye checkup for children within the age bracket indicated usually involves a series of exams to measure:

 

• Visual acuity
   

• Depth perception
   

• Color vision
   

• Eye focusing
   

• Eye tracking
   

• Eye-hand coordination
   

• Three-dimensional vision
   

• Convergence
   

• Visual perception

The exam assesses your child’s general eye health and diagnoses or rules out the existence of eye health issues.

Eye Exams for Children Between Six to 18 Years Old

A detailed eye exam for kids between six and 18 years old is similar to that of younger children.

But with older children, eye doctors examine how a child's vision is evolving to meet the growing demands of their lives. How does the child perform schoolwork and sports? Or, is there any eye problem affecting their learning or sports performance?

The exam will determine whether your child needs to wear prescription eyeglasses or undergo other vision correction treatments.

Is it time for you to book your child in for an eye exam? Call your pediatric eye doctor to schedule a consultation. Eye exams are an integral part of your child's eye health and overall well-being.

For more on what to expect during a pediatric eye exam, visit Vision One Eyecare Center at our office in Ft. Mitchell or Dry Ridge, Kentucky. Call (859) 267-1700 or (859) 407-7400 to book an appointment today.