Phone: 604-534-4312
Email: info@langleyoptometry.com
Pediatric Eye Exams in Langley for the Healthy Development of Your Child
As responsible parents, we know that you want to take all the necessary steps to ensure the healthy development of your children. However, it is not uncommon for parents to overlook the importance of monitoring their children's eye exams and visual development until they encounter challenges.
Scheduling regular eye exams for your children is the most effective way to identify early signs, prevent vision issues, and encourage the healthy development of vision in your children. At Langley Optometry Clinic, we offer a comfortable environment for pediatric eye exams so that your kids remain at ease and do not feel anxious.
Our team has years of experience conducting children's eye exams in Langley and takes a tailored approach. For instance, if your child doesn't know their alphabet, we use fun shapes and animal figures to assess their eyesight. We hope to encourage a positive attitude in your child towards eye health. If you'd like to schedule a pediatric eye exam in Langley, we invite you to fill out our contact form.
Children's Eye Exams Are Essential to their Healthy Development
All age groups have unique vision-related requirements and need different approaches. On top of that, every child has varying needs. For instance, a child with a documented history of vision-related problems will require more exams than a child without vision-related issues. However, generally speaking, we recommend the following schedule, as per the policy of the Canadian Association of Optometrists:
- Infants — birth to twenty-four months: Babies take a few months to develop their vision system. They will eventually learn to use both eyes together, along with the ability to focus. It is best to have an eye exam between six to nine months to ensure proper development.
- Preschool children — two to five years: This age is crucial for the growth of your child's motor skills, hand-eye coordination and perception, which are dependent on healthy vision. We recommend paying attention to signs of problems like frequent eye rubbing, lazy eyes, crossed eyes and problems with object recognition. It is expected that children in this age group should have one exam between two to five years.
- School-age children — six to nineteen years: Many adolescents and teens suffer from vision problems that go undetected, interfering with their learning. Not to mention that issues with motor development, trouble reading and doing bad in school can cause behavioural issues. We highly recommend annual eye examinations for this age group, especially with a general increase in screentime at that age.
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Every child is unique. To get a better idea of their health or vision care needs, please bring your child to us so that we can conduct a thorough exam. We can provide them with a choice of glasses and lenses, should they require them.
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Further Reading: Making Eye Exams Fun for the Whole Family!
Why Is Getting Early Eye Exams Important?
If a child has vision problems, it can affect their visual learning. There is a clear relationship between vision problems and school children's academic performance, so it is essential to correct these problems early on. Vision issues can also cause a threat to your child’s safety since they can become much more susceptible to accidents. Early detection of vision problems can help correct these crucial faults for optimal learning.
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Children must excel in the following visual skills for optimal learning:
- Movement
- Focusing
- Eye teaming
- Visual acuity
You can take your child for an eye exam starting at an age as early as six months and then again at age three. We recommend a complete examination every year after that. With an accurate eye exam, we can help you with an early diagnosis of your child’s vision issues and solutions to correct the problems.
Potential Symptoms to Look out for in Your Kids
Children's eye exams are also critical because they often don't realize their vision is affected. Look out for
- squinting,
- frequent eye rubbing,
- sensitivity to light,
- poor hand-eye coordination, and
- holding reading materials too close to their eyes.
Even if you don’t see symptoms, your young child may have a vision problem. Be sure to take your child for a routine medical check-up.
The optometrists at Langley Optometry Clinic will assess your child’s eye health and determine vision care needs.
What to Expect from a Pediatric Eye Exam
We follow a comprehensive but straightforward procedure that gives us a clear picture of your child's visual health. During our pediatric eye exam, we will inspect your child's:
- Health history: Our team will assess your child's developmental history and any prenatal issues and medical concerns. We will also inspect any visual problems in your family and other medical problems affecting vision, such as diabetes.
- Visual acuity: Visual acuity simply means sharpness of vision. We will judge this by assessing your child's ability to identify letters or shapes on an eye chart.
- Eye coordination: We will examine your child's eye alignment and movement, which are crucial for development. Our team will inspect their depth perception.
- Refraction: We will identify or rule out any refractive problems using different approaches suited to your child, such as looking through a refractor. If necessary, we can also provide prescription glasses.
- Eye health: Lastly, we will determine the condition of your child's eyes using non-invasive techniques. We can gauge pupil reflexes, colour vision, and peripheral vision using them.
After your child's exam, we will explain the results to you in simple terms and address your questions. Our primary concern is to ensure the healthy development of your child's eyes.
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Get in Touch with An Optometrist Near You
Would you like to schedule a children's eye exam in Langley? We invite you to speak to us. We provide eye exams for all age groups and can also offer you products like contact lenses, prescription sunglasses, and frames.
