Adults should be getting regular eye exams to keep their vision healthy. It is especially important for children, as well.
Poor vision can lead to poor performance in school. This can be frustrating for the child and set their education back.
Keep reading to learn if your child may need an eye exam before they go back to school!
What Kind of Eye Exams Will My Child Experience?
Comprehensive eye exams cover a lot of ground. There are many different tests designed to give the doctor information about how your child sees.
Visual Acuity Test
This test is designed to see how far or close your child can see clearly. Adequate visual acuity is essential so your child can stay engaged from the back of the classroom or while reading their textbook.
The test puts them twenty feet away from a chart of letters, where the letters get increasingly smaller. Your child will then read the letters until they cannot make them out.
Eye Motility Test
This test evaluates your child’s eye muscles and determines how well they can move their eyes. Eye tracking is helpful with sports or following along in a book.
The test can be as simple as having your child follow an object in the doctor’s hand, which allows the doctor to observe your child’s eye tracking.
This test will also make sure your child’s eyes work together. If the eyes don’t work together, they may be seeing double.
This can be distracting and confusing for them, affecting their performance in class and sports. One standard test involves having the child wear 3D glasses.
Then they look at a book of patterns and try to identify which one appears raised.
Refraction
Refraction is a test to determine a glasses prescription. If your child’s eye doctor believes that glasses will help your child see better, they will use this test to determine the best prescription that will allow your child to see clearly.
Slit Lamp Exam
A slit lamp is a special microscope that eye doctors use to get a closer look at the eyes. This can help your child’s eye doctor determine if there are certain eye conditions present in your child’s eyes.
How Often Should My Child See the Eye Doctor?
Children’s eyes are constantly changing. As they grow, they may encounter problems that they need help with.
Early education is essential for a child’s development, but without good vision, it can set them back. An annual comprehensive eye exam can keep them on track in school and help them reach their potential.
How Do I Know If My Child Has Vision Problems?
There are some signs to watch out for that may indicate that your child needs vision help. However, these signs may not be evident if you don’t know what you’re looking for.
If you notice your child doing the following, bring them in for an eye exam as soon as possible:
- Rubbing their eyes a lot.
- Blinking hard and often.
- Telling you that they see double.
- Experiencing frequent headaches
- Avoiding reading
- Holding reading material close to their face
- Tilting their head frequently
- Covering one eye when trying to focus on something.
- Eyes turning in or out.
Some of these problems may seem like a general medical issue. In reality, they can all result from poor eyesight.
Is it time for your child to have an eye exam? Schedule an appointment at Levin Eyecare in Baltimore, MD, today!