Your child’s eyesight will continue to develop as they grow. When they turn 6 months, they will gain eye muscle control and hand-eye coordination. It is at this point that children should receive their first exam. At this age, your optometrist will look for signs of strabismus (crossed eyes) or amblyopia (lazy eye).

If left untreated, these conditions can cause reduced function or vision loss. However, when caught early, treatment can support proper development and even correct it.

Preschool children should receive at least one eye exam between the ages of 2 and 5. This exam will allow your optometrist to check the development of your child’s eyes and look for any issues. Your child is still learning to see at these ages, and there are activities you can encourage to help their eyes develop well.

Children between the ages of 6 and 19 should have an eye exam every year. Because eyes and vision change so drastically during these developmental years, regular eye exams will help us catch any vision issues or eye conditions and diseases. Annual eye exams will allow us to diagnose any refractive errors, like astigmatism, hyperopia, or myopia, but also assess their binocular vision, and diagnose potential eye diseases.

Problems with their eyes can impact a child’s ability to learn, read, watch TV, play sports, or use the computer.

Protect your child’s eyes and watch for signs of vision problems, symptoms like:

• Red or watering eyes
• Sensitivity to light
• The consistent turning in or out of one eye
• Squinting, rubbing, or excessive blinking
• Lack of concentration
• Covering or closing one eye
• Headaches
• Irritability or a lack of interest in books or TV

Whether you need corrective lenses or not, adults between the ages of 20 to 64 require an eye exam every 2 years or as recommended by your optometrist. These exams will allow us to detect and diagnose potential eye disease, support healthy visual hygiene and care practice, and issue an updated prescription if one is needed.

Adults over 65 should start undergoing annual eye exams again to monitor for age-related risks and vision changes.

Because everyone is unique, you or your child may require a different examination frequency than those listed here. Our experienced eye care team will determine what works best for you and will provide you with all the information you need.