Many parents neglect to take their kids to the eye doctor for a routine checkup. While there may not be anything wrong with your child’s vision, you can never be too careful. Some vision problems develop when a child’s eyes are not monitored by a professional.
Beginning around age three, your child can begin to benefit from eye checkups during well-child visits. This way, the doctor can detect refractive errors like astigmatism, nearsightedness (myopia) or farsightedness (hyperopia).
Other diseases they might be able to detect early include the following:
Color blindness or color deficiency
Drooping eyelids or ptosis
Crossed eyes or strabismus
Lazy eye or amblyopia
The good thing about having your child’s eyes checked early is your eye doctor may be able to use the necessary treatment to correct the problem. Your low vision specialist or another eye specialist will schedule your child for further eye exams. Some of the things you might observe that would likely make a specialist recommend a visit to their clinic include:
Wandering eyes or crossed eyes
Your child has to squint to watch television, or they might turn their head in an unusual angle just to see the TV
Your child does not seem to see distant objects
They are disinterested in reading or looking at a picture book
You have a family history of vision problems, even childhood vision issues
To protect your children from eye injuries, have them wear protective eyewear when playing sports or other recreational activities, especially if these involve contact with other kids. If your kids are too young for sports, give them age-appropriate toys. Never give them toys with sharp edges or protruding parts that might lead to eye injuries.
You can learn more about your child’s vision health from Joel H McGahen OD. We can also help you if you need eyeglasses or contact lenses. Call us today at (717) 264-4012 or refer to our Contact Us page to set an appointment. We are a member of Vision Source, a network of eye care professionals dedicated to being more focused, innovative, caring and trusted. We look forward to helping you in Shippensburg and in Greencastle, PA, as well as in other areas around Pennsylvania.