Your child is constantly growing, developing new skills as they go. Good eye health is important at any age, but it is especially important in the early years of your child’s life. By instilling a healthy attitude towards maintaining good eyesight, your child will be able to communicate and share with you whenever they are experiencing a vision problem.
The first step towards great eye health for your child is to book an eye exam. Eye exams can help make sure the faculties that make up their vision are developing properly, helping them confidently rely on their eyesight for a variety of activities, including learning and playing.
Please book an appointment for your child today and start seeing how great vision can improve your child’s quality of life.
When your child is first born, their eyes only have the strength to see a short distance – anywhere between a few centimeters to metres. This makes it relatively tough to notice any problems your child might be having with their eyes.
The good news is that most eye diseases generally do not start to develop that early in life. So, when is it appropriate to book your child for an eye exam? We have the answers.
Your child should have their first eye exam around 6 to 9 months of age, as recommended by the Canadian Association of Optometrists. It’s around this point that certain conditions like amblyopia (lazy eye) and strabismus (crossed eyes) can rear their heads. If caught early enough, your optometrist can help implement a plan to manage and mitigate their symptoms.
Even after birth, your child’s vision is still developing. As their visual faculties start to blossom with age, it’s important to keep an eye out for any problems that could indicate issues with your child’s eyes (more on what to look for below).
Around 2 to 5 years of age, your child should have another eye exam. The reason for this is that your child is now using their vision for far more than just seeing, they are using their eyes for navigating, playing, and learning.
An examination around this point in their life can ensure their vision is developing at a healthy pace. At 5 years old, it’s recommended your child has an eye exam annually.
We completely understand that it can be hard to know if your child is having a problem with their vision. In a lot of cases, your child is going to be too young to know their eyes aren’t doing their job properly, or simply will not have the skill to communicate their issues.
Luckily, there are ways to monitor your child so you can pick up on signs of vision problems. These signs can vary from child to child, but pay attention to whether or not your child is:
These can be indicative of refractive errors like myopia, hyperopia, or astigmatism, or might be an early warning sign of potential eye disease development.
At Ocean Optometry, not only do we want to provide your child with the right eye care solutions, we want them to feel comfortable and even have fun during their exams!
At the start of the eye exam, your optometrist will have a conversation with you to go over your child’s and family’s health history, looking for any issues that could be a sign of problems to come. It’s also wise to come prepared with any questions or concerns you might have regarding your child’s vision so that your optometrist can tailor the exam to match the needs of your child.
After the quick chat, it’s now on to the rest of the eye exam! Your optometrist will execute a variety of tests to measure your child’s visual strength & acuity as well as your child’s eye coordination and alignment. After these tests, your optometrist will then check your child’s eye health to look for signs of any possible eye diseases.
At the end of the exam, your optometrist will then recommend any prescriptions or medications needed. If they require glasses, they will then visit our incredible opticians to find a beautiful pair of glasses to match their look and lifestyle. If your child prefers to use contact lenses, our opticians will provide a comprehensive training seminar to show how to properly take care of as well as insert and remove their contact lenses.
The importance of eye health can never be understated, which is why we love helping your child achieve their best vision. Our optometrists both have children of their own, so you can rest assured knowing your child is in the hands of a caring and patient team.
Please book your child’s appointment today!
Nestled only a few blocks away from the Halifax Waterfront, Ocean Optometry is located just off the corner of Blowers Street and Grafton Street, the world famous Pizza Corner. Find out more here about where to park!
“Friendly, professional, and quick! Their customer service and willingness to help can’t be beat. I’m happy to ‘belong’ to this office- they know my name as soon as I walk in the door. Can’t get that many other places!”
“If you are looking for fabulous glasses, which are a bit more stylish than the average offerings, Ocean is the place to go.”
“Thanks for the wonderful experience. You guys really get eyecare!”
“Very informative and kind staff. Dr. John Wilson was so friendly and went through all the imaging and testing in great detail! I will continue to come here on a regular basis for eye care.”
“Always a great experience. Eye exams are thorough; both optometrists have been pleasant, professional, and very knowledgeable. Great selection of unique, quality frames. All staff have always been beyond helpful!”
“If you want a first-class eye examination from people who love what they do, alongside a unique look in your glasses and great vision, then Ocean Optometry is the only place to go.”
“Saw Dr. McGinty today for a same-day appointment due to getting something in my eyes over the weekend. The staff was incredible; Dr. McGinty was knowledgeable and personable. Didn’t have to wait and got right in and was in and out in 15 minutes without feeling rushed. Their staff was delightful and overall great experience. Will consider switching here for all my eye needs.”
“A gem of an optometrists with a real cutting edge selection of glasses and really thorough eyecare.”
