Children’s Eye Exams | Ajax | The Optical Connection

Caring for Your Child’s Eyes at Every Age

Your child’s vision helps them interact with the world around them. From learning to identify visual cues, to tracking objects across a room, their eyesight is a vital part of how they learn and develop.

Unfortunately, children often don’t realize they have problems with their vision, and symptoms can be hard to spot. As a parent, this means you may not know if your child is experiencing vision problems until they are able to express them.

That’s where eye exams come in. Our team at The Optical Connection is dedicated to ensuring your child’s eyes stay as healthy as possible at every age. By booking regular eye exams for your child, you’re protecting their eyesight and helping them see the value of eye care from a young age.

Book your child’s next eye exam today!

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When to Take Your Child for an Eye Exam

How often do you need to get your child’s eyes examined?

To make sure your child’s eyesight is developing correctly, the Canadian Association of Optometrists (CAO) recommends eye exam frequency based on the following guidelines:

Infants

Your child’s first comprehensive eye exam should happen when they are between 6 and 9 months old.

Toddlers

Your child will need their second eye exam between the ages of 2 and 5. This depends entirely on how your child’s eyesight develops and whether or not they are experiencing symptoms or signs of vision issues.

School-Aged Children

Your child should receive their third eye exam just before they enter Kindergarten. Once your child has reached this milestone, they should begin having regular eye exams every 2 years.

If your child needs vision correction or is at a higher risk for developing eye diseases, your optometrist may recommend more frequent eye exams.

Vision Symptoms to Look Out For

If your child is suffering from vision issues, there are a few signs and symptoms that you can watch out for. If you notice any of the following symptoms, schedule an eye exam for your child, no matter when their last exam was:

Red, itchy or watery eyes
Excessive squinting, rubbing, or blinking
Closing one eye or tilting the head to see
Sensitivity to light
Lack of concentration, especially at school
Holding objects close to their face to see
Complaints of a headache or sore eyes
Eye misalignment

What Does a Doctor Look For in an Eye Exam?

When your child receives an eye exam, their eye doctor will check the overall health of their visual system and look for signs of common childhood eye conditions such as: