According to the Canadian Association of Optometrists, children should have their first eye examination at 6 months of age. If there is a family history of eye problems, other than the need for glasses, or you suspect an eye problem, you may want to have your child examined sooner.
Signs1 of a vision problem could include: a turned or crossed eye, a whitish area within the ‘pupil’ of the eye, or if your child is unable to track or follow your movements by 3 to 4 months of age. If you notice any of these signs, please speak with one of the doctors to schedule an appointment.
A lazy eye or crossed eyes can often, but not always, have glasses prescribed to improve the vision. Eye exercises and patching may also be used in conjunction with the glasses to facilitate development.
In children, the vision system is still developing and thus it is critical to catch these problems as early as possible. Similar to adults, children may also have eye health problems such as glaucoma, cataracts and diabetic retinopathy. Detecting these diseases early, will result in more optimal vision outcomes.
1 . This is not a comprehensive list of pediatric eye problems.
