August 2016 Children’s Eye Exams

Why are annual eye exams so important?

Good vision is essential for a child’s success in school, their physical development and overall well-being. In the first year of life your optometrist will check your child’s eyes for:

• Nearsightedness
• Farsightedness
• Astigmatism
• Amblyopia “lazy eye”
• Eye movement ability
• Proper eye alignment
• Eyes reaction to changes in light and darkness and any general eye problems

For children between ages 3-5, the optometrist will conduct a physical exam of the eyes and also do vision screenings using eye chart test, pictures and letters which tests the child’s visual acuity, or ability to see form and detail of objects. If your child is older, they might be asked to identify pictures such as a tree, a duck, a house or a hand. Identifying and correcting poor visual acuity is very important in a child’s sight development.

The most common cause of vision problems in children is Amblyopia, or “lazy eye”. Amblyopia is a condition in children when vision does not develop properly, usually in one eye. It can be reversed if detected early, with treatment that involves patching the better-seeing eye or blurring its vision using atropine drops. Atropine drops blur the vision in good eye, forcing child to use the “lazy” eye, therefore strengthening muscles in that eye. Your optometrist will discuss with you what treatment is most appropriate for your child.

McMillin eyecare is dedicated to providing the highest quality vision care possible for you and your family. If you have questions or would like to schedule an appointment for your child, call us today at 423-239-5491.