Your Child's Vision: A Parent's Guide to Paediatric Eye Exams
When Should My Child Have Their First Eye Test?
This depends on your child and how they are developing. We generally recommend that you have a routine comprehensive eye test before your child starts formal school ( pre-primary) at age 4 or 5, provided there are no concerns prior to that age.
If they are hitting all the normal developmental milestones, appear to see normally, their eyes appear aligned and you have no concerns, then this is a good time for us to meet them for the first time!
If you have any concerns about your child’s vision or if there is a family history of eye conditions, it is never too early to have this investigated.
A child goes through a very rapid period of development in the first 6/7 years of their life, and vision is no different. The visual system is immature at birth, but develops quickly, becoming the dominant sense by age 6 months. This forms the basis of perceptual, cognitive and social development. Good vision is essential for a child’s learning and development, and is essential for them to be able to engage in reading, writing and even play.
All things being well, your child should have “normal” or 6/6 (20/20) vision by around age 6. If there any problems with the visual system, it is imperative to intervene before age 7 so that treatment will be most effective.
What should parents be looking out for?
This is again dependant on your child, their age and development, but broadly speaking you should consider seeking an appointment with a paediatric optometrist if you notice any of the following:
In babies/ toddlers
Squinting or closing one eye
Covering one eye OR aversion to having one eye covered vs the other
Tilting the head
Difficulty focusing or tracking objects
Frequent eye rubbing
Sensitivity to light
In older/ school age children:
Poor school performance
Complaints of blurry or double vision
Reports of frequent headaches
What Happens During a Paediatric Eye Exam?
A paediatric eye exam may not follow the typical pattern you’ve come to expect from your own routine eye exam! It’s designed to be fun and engaging for your child and adapted to their age and cognitive abilities. Some of the instruments used may also be slightly different to an adult’s exam. Here’s what you can expect:
Visual acuity test: This determines how well your child sees at different distances. We will use letters if your child is able to read, symbols or pictures for pre-schoolers, and interesting toys and other targets for babies and toddlers
Refraction: This determines your child’s prescription if needed.
Eye alignment check: This checks for any misalignment of the eyes
Eye health exam: This checks for any signs of eye disease or pathology. We use a range of instruments and cameras to obtain as much information as we can about the health of your child’s eyes
Common Conditions Detected in Paediatric Eye Exams
Several common eye conditions can be detected during a paediatric eye exam, including:
Refractive errors: Just like in an adult’s eye exam, we will endeavour to determine whether your child is myopic (short sighted), hyperopic (long sighted), astigmatic, anisometropic (where there is a large different in script between the two eyes) and whether the degree of their script requires correction with spectacles
Strabismus: commonly known as an eye turn, we will establish whether there are any deviations in your child’s eyes
Amblyopia: more commonly known as a lazy eye. This is one of the conditions we aim to pick up as early as possible as it can ameliorated if addressed on time. Around 2.5% of the population are amblyopic and it is the leading cause of monocular vision loss in children
Colour vision anomalies
Pathology: just like an adult’s eye exam we check all structures of the eye to ensure everything is healthy, there is no disease present and no congenital anomalies
In summary, looking after your child’s eyes and vision can be impactful to their quality of life, for the rest of their life. If you are concerned in any way, it is never too early to seek advice from your optometrist to either address any issues early, or just put your mind at rest!
