May is Healthy Vision Month, which means everyone should consider their eye health, especially their children’s. What is the most child-related question we get at Metro Eye?
When should my child see the eye doctor?
According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), infants should have their first eye exam by 6 months of age. Metro Eye participates in the InfantSee program, providing a comprehensive assessment of your infant’s vision, as a no-cost public service. Children should have an additional eye exam when entering preschool and just before the first grade. Early detection of a child’s vision problem can be crucial to successful treatment, especially when diagnosed early.
After examination, if your child doesn’t need vision correction, the AOA recommends eye exams every two years. For children with glasses or contact lenses, they should be examined every year or as recommended by their eye doctor.
Why is this so important? Up to 10% of preschoolers have vision problems. For elementary school aged children, that number jumps up to 25%. Unfortunately, nearly 85% of children don’t have proper eye exams by the time they enter kindergarten!
You might need to visit the eye doctor sooner if you notice issues with your child’s vision. As a parent, you are the most qualified to determine if your children are having problems with their eyes. Some things to look out for include:
- A family history of eye diseases or major vision issues
- One eye going in the other direction of the other
- Complaining about headaches, or blurred or double vision
- Clumsiness or poor hand/eye coordination
- Trouble making eye contact or problems tracking objects with their eyes
- Constantly eye rubbing (unless they are tired, which is normal)
- Very watery eyes
- Excessive blinking
- Squinting to see things up close or far away
- Avoiding reading, writing or drawing
- Poor performance at school
An accurate prescription from certified professionals is critical in helping correct your child’s vision. Many correction methods are available. Among them are Corneal Reshaping Therapy or CRT. CRT is an alternative non-surgical and reversible process to treat myopia (nearsightedness) in children. CRT can be an ideal vision solution for active children and teens who don’t want to be tied down by glasses or don’t like wearing traditional contact lenses. Metro Eye optometrist, Dr. Amanda Kopczyk specializes in CRT.
Busy parents can appreciate the ease of visiting a qualified optometrist for their family’s eye care. Metro Eye has three optometrists on staff for your eyecare exam and treatment needs. We also feature plenty of cool eyewear options for you and your child to choose from, with special lens package pricing for kid’s glasses, to keep their vision correction and eye protection affordable for parents. We offer a wide selection of contact lenses, and infant’s and children’s glasses, including frames from Miraflex, Dutz eyewear, and more.
Contact Metro Eye today to schedule an appointment. If your child needs glasses, visit us in Milwaukee’s Third Ward to check out all the fantastic styles we have available.