When Should My Child Have A First Eye Exam?

Everyone at Skyvision Centers gets asked this question, both in the office and outside in the regular world: when should my child have a first eye exam?   Lots of kids, maybe even most kids, get a screening exam as part of their school experience, but even with that, is there an age when a child should have a complete eye exam?

There are two very definite answers to that question. If you have a family history of Amblyopia (lazy eye) or Strabismus (an eye that turns), then children in your family should have a complete eye exam at age 3. This is especially important if a brother or sister is the one with the eye problem.

Even if your child has had an exam at age 3, the doctors at Skyvision Centers think that EVERY child should have a complete eye exam just before starting kidnergarten or 1st grade. This exam is much more extensive than any eye screening exam and will find even small problems that might need to be solved. In addition, a potential problem might be found that would make the doctor suggest an earlier follow-up exam.

Vision is important for everyone, but it is especially important for your children as they enter their school years. A complete eye exam is part of a healthy approach to life!