A common question our patients ask is at what age they should bring their child in for an eye exam. Kids often have a vision screening in school where they are told they can see 20/20. So why is there a need to also bring a child in for a comprehensive eye exam?
A comprehensive eye exam versus a vision screening
What parents don’t know is that 25% of kids who pass a vision screening in school or from their pediatrician even up having an eye issue. Learning is 80% visual so why risk your child’s education? We see children from all over San Diego and Kearny Mesa who are misdiagnosed with ADD or ADHD when in reality, they just have vision issues.
What will the Eye Doctor see at the eye exam?
As mentioned, even if the school nurse is saying your child’s vision is fine, there are many more factors to check regarding the health of the eye.
- Near and farsight – see if your child has an issue seeing at a distance or up close.
- Focusing skills – can the eyes focus on items near and far
- Binocular Vision/Fusion – do the eyes work together or do they drift apart? Is there eye coordination? If not, they may have Binocular Vision Dysfunction
- Lazy eye – making sure one eye isn’t dragging when the other is moving
Bringing your child in for a comprehensive eye exam can be vital to their development. We recommend as early as possible, certainly before first grade. Give us a call at 858-239-1561 to book an eye exam for your child.