Childrens Eyecare
Young Eyes
It is recommended that , parents should schedule an eye examination when their child is 3 years old, then again just before school begins. Once of school age, regular exams are recommended once a year even if no problems have been detected previously. Visual changes take place gradually and may go unnoticed by a child, parents, and caretakers. Routine exams are varied somewhat based on age and eye condition.
Birth 
At birth, a baby's first medical examination includes a check for congenital eye defects. Although rare, early diagnosis of these problems is important to preserve sight. Pediatricians and Optometrist can usually correct most eye problems, if spotted early. Some babies are born with Strabimus in which one or both eyes are not straight. It can be caused by either extreme farsightedness or eye muscle imbalance. The condition usually goes away within a few months without treatment. Premature babies have a greater chance of developing this condition. Strabismus can develop from birth to about age 7. It may be rarely noticed at first but become frequent over time.
Infancy
At 3 to 4 months, parents should consult an Optometrist if a baby:
- cannot focus on or follow an object with both eyes
- has difficulty moving one or both eyes in all directions
- has crossed eyes most of the time
- has one or both eyes that tend to wander outward
Otherwise, infants should have an eye exam at the age of 6 months. During a thorough examination, the Optometrist will test both of the baby's eyes for large differences in visual status to rule out "lazy eye," or amblyopia. He or she will check the baby's eye movements and eye health. Problems with vision development and eye health are uncommon in infants but most easily treated if caught early.
Regular Checkups
Visual screenings done in school are valuable for spotting conditions that could affect how a child is functioning. These are preliminary assessments, designed to detect vision defects such as nearsightedness and farsightedness, and give a rough degree of refraction error. The visual screenings are no substitute for a more thorough evaluation by an optometrist. It is estimated that 25 percent of school-age children with correctable vision problems do not receive treatment.
Eye Conditions
Most preschool and young school-aged children are slightly farsighted. The condition lessens as children grow, usually stabilizing by adolescence. Nearsightedness, however, may begin in childhood but continue to progress through adolescence and into early adulthood. Parents' first clues that their child is nearsighted often occur at school. When a child has difficulty seeing the blackboard, learning or behavioral problems often surface in class. Because of vision difficulties, the child may avoid sports. Other clues are:
- sitting too close to the television
- eye rubbing
- squinting
- clumsiness
- holding head at an odd angle
- headaches or dizziness
During childhood vision changes quickly. Experts recommend eye exams every six months for children who need glasses injury and Infection .
The most common need for eyecare in childhood is caused by infection and injury. PinkEye (Conjunctivistis) , corneal scratches and sports injuries are the most common causes. For a child of any age, parents should consult an Optometrist if they notice any of the following, which could indicate injury of infection:
- an eye that wanders inward or outward
- when tired eyelid droopiness
- redness of eyes or eyelids
- crusted eyelids
- tearing or leaky eyes
- eyelid styes or sores
- too much eye rubbing
- avoidance of bright light
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