Children’s Eye Exams | Pacific Pier Optometry

A Child’s Eyes Change Rapidly

Your child is growing and changing every day, and so are their eyes.

The first 6 years are their most vulnerable period, adapting to the big wide world and meeting visual development milestones. You play a crucial role in the early days of your child’s eye care, from encouraging development to watching for symptoms of eye problems.

But vision is only part of the bigger picture.

You might observe symptoms or take note of your child’s complaints, but what does that mean for their vision or ocular health?

Pacific Pier Optometry can help you understand your child’s vision needs. Schedule their comprehensive eye exam today.

Book Now

Screenings Vs. Eye Exams

Pediatricians and school vision screenings only check visual abilities. Screenings aren’t a thorough test of eye health and development. School vision screenings miss up to 75% of vision problems, and 61% of children diagnosed with eye problems through screenings don’t visit an optometrist.

A comprehensive eye exam with an optometrist is crucial for preventative health care, diagnosing vision problems, and general eye care. Even if you’re not experiencing symptoms, checking in with an optometrist ensures nothing is overlooked.

Book an appointment at Pacific Pier Optometry for your child’s eye exam.

How Often Should My Child See an Optometrist?

As the keeper of your child’s social calendar, it can be a lot to balance. Your popular kid doesn’t need to pause all their meetings for regular eye exams.

Check out the guidelines from the American Optometric Association for children’s eye exams:

First Exam: Between 6–12 months
Second Exam: Between 3–5 years
Yearly Eye Exams: Before first grade, then each year until 18

The recommendations are based on low-risk or asymptomatic pediatric patients.

If your child has a family history of ocular conditions, premature or difficult birth, infection during pregnancy, symptoms suggesting eye problems, or other health conditions, we recommend that your child should see an optometrist for eye exams more frequently. Some common symptoms of vision problems include:

Headaches
Double vision
Frequent blinking
Covering one eye
Ocular discomfort
Tilting head to see

Frequent eye rubbing
Eye turn (strabismus)
Fatigue after visual activities
Difficulty remembering what they’ve read
Holding reading material too close to their face
Short attention span (compared to their age group)
Avoiding near-vision activities (reading, coloring, etc.)

Your child’s eye care can impact their ability to learn, as 80% of learning involves visual pathways. If your child is complaining about their eyes or experiencing other symptoms, visit Pacific Pier Optometry for a children’s eye exam.

Common Eye Conditions in Children

Your child’s eyes are still growing. They experience so much, which can be exciting but also a reason to keep a closer eye on their health.

Whether they need glasses to see the front of the classroom or are experiencing headaches because of eyestrain, visiting an optometrist is an essential piece of their health care.Part of keeping watch over their eye care starts at home. So, in addition to keeping tabs on their vision, here are some common childhood eye diseases and conditions that indicate it’s time to call your optometrist.

Blocked Tear Duct

A blocked tear duct is relatively common in newborns, with 5–10% of babies experiencing the condition. Some symptoms can be easily treated, even at home, but the condition may recur. Blocked tear ducts (nasolacrimal duct obstruction) can be caused by:

Infection
A narrow tear duct system
Nasal cavity bone blocking the tear duct
Absence of an opening (lower or upper eyelid)

If your child has a blocked duct, they may experience common symptoms like:

Discharge
Redness
Watery eyes
Frequent rubbing (eye area)
Crusting of eyelashes or eyelids

If untreated, it can lead to infection, which may cause fever, pain, or swelling. Gently cleaning any ocular discharge or crustiness can help. You may also try nasolacrimal massage (gently massaging the between the eye and the corner of the child’s nose) if recommended by your optometrist.

Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis (pink eye) is swelling or inflammation of the conjunctiva, the thin tissue covering the white part of your eye and the inner surface of your eyelids. It can be caused by infection, allergies, or chemical irritants.

Treatment depends on the type of conjunctivitis. For example, bacterial conjunctivitis may require antibiotic eye drops while allergic conjunctivitis may require antihistamines.

Symptoms of pink eye include:

Irritation or burning
Increased tear production
Discharge (watery or thick)
Swelling (conjunctiva or eyelids)
Crusting of eyelids or eyelashes
Pink or red color in the whites of the eye
Feeling something in the eye

Strabismus

Strabismus (crossed eyes) is an eye condition where eye direction doesn’t match. The eye turn can be in any direction and can occur all the time or irregularly. Eye alignment helps us with depth perception, and misaligned eyes can reduce visual ability in the affected eye.

If you notice symptoms of strabismus, meet with your optometrist.

Here are additional symptoms to watch for:

Eyes don’t move together
Double vision
Tilting head to see
Frequent blinking or squinting
Poor depth perception

Amblyopia

Amblyopia (lazy eye) occurs when one or both eyes experience weak vision. Regular comprehensive eye exams are the best method to monitor your child’s ocular health and diagnose development issues early.

Amblyopia has a number of risk factors, including:

Strabismus (eye turn)
Refractive errors
Visual deprivation
Developmental conditions
Family history of amblyopia or strabismus

Children’s Eye Exams at Pacific Pier Optometry

We know new experiences can be confusing for kids, but we’re here to make your child’s eye care a little easier. We’re happy to talk about your child’s vision and eye health if you have questions. We offer a softer approach to make your child feel welcome and safe.

Visit our practice, steps away from the beach at Pacific Pier Optometry.