When should children get their eyes tested?

Healthy eyes and vision are a critical part of kids' development. Their eyes should be examined regularly, as many vision problems and eye diseases can be detected and treated early.

When should your children have their eyes tested?

Newborns should be checked for general eye health by a pediatrician or family physician in the hospital nursery.

At about 3.5 years kids should undergo eye health screenings and visual acuity tests with their family doctor.

If there are no symptoms of vision problems before, around age 5 kids should have their vision and eye alignment evaluated by an optometrist.

Children who are prescribed vision correction lenses should visit their optometrist annually.

Spotting Eye Problems Early

Signs that a child may have vision problems include:

• constant eye rubbing
• extreme light sensitivity
• poor focusing
• poor visual tracking (following an object)
• abnormal alignment or movement of the eyes (after 6 months of age)
• chronic redness of the eyes
• chronic tearing of the eyes
• a white pupil instead of black

In school-age children, watch for other signs such as:

• inability to see objects at a distance
• inability to read the blackboard
• squinting
• difficulty reading
• sitting too close to the TV

Watch your child for evidence of poor vision or crossed eyes. If you notice any eye problems, have your child examined immediately so that the problem doesn't become permanent.

If caught early, eye conditions often can be reversed.

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