How to Stay on Top of Your Child’s Eye Health

While it’s common to think about eye exams for adults and seniors, it’s easy to overlook your child’s eye health. While they may seem content reading books with you and playing with friends, kids can’t assess if they are having eye problems. Children may not notice slightly blurred vision that sets in over a period of time. For this reason, it’s essential to book an annual appointment with your optometrist so they can assess your child’s vision and the overall health of their eyes. 

The Effects of Declining Vision Health in Children

Declining vision can impact your child’s learning, development, and overall well-being. Kids who are short-sighted may have difficulty reading the whiteboard. They might also struggle in sports where they previously excelled. As a result, your child may begin to feel stressed and anxious and lose confidence in their ability to play sports and do well at school.

When Should Your Child Have Their First Eye Exam?

The Canadian Association of Optometrists recommends that infants have their first pediatric eye exams between 6 and 9 months of age. While your child can’t read the charts at this age, your doctor will perform objective tests to ensure their eyes are developing normally. Pediatric eye exams are also essential to test for possible problems such as lazy eyes or turned eyes. 

 

Parents should note that Alberta Health Care provides annual coverage for eye exams for kids under 19 years of age. 

Signs Your Child May Need Glasses

It’s not always easy to know if your child has vision problems, but several signs indicate they may need glasses. 

 

• Do they squint when trying to focus on an object?
• Do they suffer from regular headaches?
• Has your child’s teacher noted that they have trouble concentrating at school?
• Do they rub their eyes? 
• Do they turn or tilt their head when viewing an object?
• Do they have difficulty focusing when reading?
• Do they have a short attention span or suffer from behaviour problems?

 

While these symptoms may not always indicate an issue with their eye health, we recommend booking an eye exam with your optometrist. During the eye exam, the optometrist will assess the health of the eyes, check their vision and provide a prescription for kid’s eyeglasses if necessary. 

Lifestyle Lens Options for Kids

With our modern-day reliance on digital devices, kids use computers, tablets and smartphones more often for schoolwork and entertainment. We suggest keeping an eye on their device habits, and if you notice them holding their devices close to their face, talk to your optometrist about your options. 

 

Your optician might recommend blue light-blocking lenses to help reduce the effects of digital eye strain, especially if your child is active on the computer or needs to use a screen for school. If your kids wear glasses while playing sports, you might want to consider investing in polycarbonate lenses as they are shatter-resistant and, therefore, safer for use. 

Visit Your Family Optometrist in Edmonton

At Ambleside Family Optometry, we provide comprehensive pediatric vision care and offer a range of glasses for kids. Call us to book an appointment for your child today.