At What Age Should Children Have Their First Eye Appointment?
Have you seen your child squinting while watching television or playing video games? Has a teacher mentioned that your child seems to be having vision problems or has been moved to the front of the classroom in order to see the whiteboard better?
New parents and parents of young children often wonder when they should bring in their child for their first vision checkup, or if the occasional squinting could be a symptom of a problem.
According to Doctors for Visual Freedom Laser Center in Chicago, new parents are usually advised by pediatricians to have eye exams at preschool age. Eye exams for young children are critical, since five to ten percent of preschoolers and nearly ¼ of school-aged children develop vision problems. Early detection is important since children usually response more effectively to treatment when diagnosed early.
Infants should have their first comprehensive eye exam at six months of age, according to the American Optometric Association (AOA). Children should subsequently have eye exams at the ages of three and just before entering first grade, roughly around ages five or six. Once in school, an eye exam is appropriate every two years. However if parents suspect a vision problem, an eye exam is strongly encouraged, so that any problem can be corrected immediately.
