Pediatric Eye Care
Support your child’s highest potential.
Healthy vision is one of the most important components of your child’s wellness. Scheduling an exam early in life can help to catch and treat various eye conditions and refractive errors that can impact vision and learning.
A pediatric eye exam usually consists of different techniques than a traditional, adult eye exam, and most information can be gathered without any input from your child. Dr. McHugh is able to examine children as young as 6 months old.
Vision develops rapidly starting at birth and is tied to many developmental milestones, such as hand-eye coordination and reading. In the long term, your child’s vision will impact how they learn, play, and interact with the world.
While there may be some obvious signs of visual disorders, many vision problems can only be detected by a qualified eye doctor during a comprehensive eye exam.
Schedule an appointment at Focused Eye Care, and give your child the gift of clear vision.
Is your child having trouble seeing?
It is not always easy to spot vision problems in kids. Most children do not realize that what they are seeing is not “normal,” and therefore do not typically have any complaints.
Some symptoms are more obvious, like squinting or holding reading materials very close. But often the early signs are subtle and can even be misdiagnosed.
Your child may be experiencing a vision problem if he or she does any of the following:
- Avoids reading and close-up work like coloring or doing puzzles
- Seems to work slow or not understand the task
- Complains of fatigue or headaches
- Has a short attention span or seems distracted
- Covers one eye or tilts head when focusing on something
- Shows sensitivity to light
- Exhibits difficulty with coordination
Common eye disorders in children
Vision can be affected by many things, including the shape of the eyeball, how the eyes and brain work together, and by other diseases or medical conditions. The good news is that many eye disorders can be successfully identified and treated.
The most common eye disorders are caused by the shape and alignment of the eyes, including:
Strabismus is when the eyes do not align properly. This is often referred to as “crossed eyes.”
Amblyopia is poor vision in one eye, and is sometimes referred to as “lazy eye.” It usually occurs before the age of eight. Infants born prematurely or with low birth weight are at greater risk.
Refractive errors cause blurry images due to the shape of the eyeball or lens. These common conditions are easily treated with glasses or contact lenses. There are three types of refractive errors:
- Myopia or nearsightedness is good close vision but poor distance vision.
- Hyperopia or farsightedness is poor up-close vision. Distant objects can easily be seen.
- Astigmatism is imperfect vision at any distance.
Eye exam schedule for kids
Routine eye exams are a crucial part of your child’s well-being and readiness for learning. Many parents do not know that school screenings are not the same as eye exams. Even with 20/20 vision, your child can still have problems that only an eye doctor can detect.
Newborns have their eyes checked before leaving the hospital. And leading medical organizations recommend comprehensive eye exams for health, vision development, and alignment at these ages:
- Between 6 and 12 months
- 3 years of age
- Prior to kindergarten
- Yearly during the school years
InfantSEE
Dr. McHugh also provides InfantSEE assessments. This program provides a no-cost vision assessment of children ages 6 months to 12 months old. Dr. McHugh is able to assess your child’s eye development, whether or not they may need glasses if there is any concern for a “lazy eye,” or even signs of pediatric eye cancer. Dr. McHugh is able to examine patients as young as 6 months old.
Support your child’s highest potential — schedule an appointment at Focused Eye Care today.