It may come to a surprise for some that a child’s first eye exam should be before the age of 1 year old. Every child should have an eye exam at ages one, three, and five years old to monitor for any health changes as they develop. Often, children will pass regular pediatrician exams and school screenings even though they need corrective lenses. Children have very strong focusing systems, which allow them to see clearly for short periods of time, like reading an eye chart. Once their focusing system becomes tired, their vision will blur in one or both eyes. Most kids do not realize that their eyes are blurry, because they have never seen clearly and have nothing to compare to.
The most dangerous is when one eye is weaker than the other, or if one eye crosses. If one of the eyes is not seeing as well, or double, the brain can shut it off and just rely on the “good” eye. This will create a “lazy” eye, or an eye that cannot see 20/20. When this happens, it is referred to as Amblyopia. Many lazy eyes can be corrected if caught before the ages of 3 to 5, and the child will then develop correctly. If it is not caught and treated in time, often the eye will never be able to see 20/20, or as well as the other eye.
Even with early intervention, sometimes the eyes cannot develop evenly, which will cause one to be Amblyopic. Treatments to prevent Amblyopia include; glasses, patching, contacts, and even surgery. Sadly, many children are diagnosed with attention deficit disorders when they cannot see clearly. They tend to fall behind in class, struggle at school, and act out. Your eyes are the window to the world of learning, make sure your children have the best advantage.