Getting Your Little One Ready for Their First Kids’ Eye Doctor Appointment

Did you know that the eyes extend back 550 million years? The first eyes were patches of photoreceptor protein found in single-celled animals. 

Are you getting your child ready for their first kids’ eye doctor appointment? In this article, explore what to expect and how to prepare your child for their first visit. Read on to discover these tips you won’t want to miss to ensure that your child’s first appointment goes smoothly. 

When Should I Take My Child To an Eye Doctor Appointment? 

Instead of waiting for a problem to develop, it’s a good idea to take them to an eye doctor. This is a great way to find a problem early enough to prevent them from turning into larger symptoms. 

Seeing your child’s eye doctor is important since vision problems can impact how they perform in school. It can also impact their safety if they can’t see well. 

What To Expect During the First Visit?

As long as your child has no pre-existing conditions, the exam should be straight-forward. First, there will be a physical assessment. 

After this, they might be asked to take a look at and identify different objects such as homes and airplanes. If the doctor uses terms you’re not sure about, ask them what the different terms mean.

In the end, go over any instructions and next steps from the doctor. It’s a good idea to have a list of your child’s medical conditions, current medications, known allergies, vision changes, medical records, etc. 

Common Tests

Once your child is about 6 months old, they’ll be able to see depth perception, color vision, and focus on items the same as an adult. In order to ensure that their eyes are developing properly, bring them to an eye doctor in your area. 

One of the tests is where they’ll fixate and follow tests to make sure your child can fixate on an object. There’s also a preferential looking test.

This is where your child will look at cards to test their vision capabilities. This is a great option if they’re too young for an eye chart.

Another test an eye doctor will perform is to see how their pupils respond to see if they open and close correctly. This is to ensure that their pupils function whether there is or isn’t light. 

• Prepare Them in Advance

Let your child know in advance that they’ll be heading to an eye doctor’s appointment. Make sure that they know that they’ll need to sit still during the checkup. Give your child plenty of time to process the information before the trip.

• Game Time

Turn the eye doctor visit into a game. Tell them that you’ll have a stand-off to see who can sit still the longest. At the end, have them win a prize such as kids designer frames. 

• Questions To Ask

Some questions you’ll want to ask in advance can include the difference between a comprehensive eye exam and a vision screening at school. Also, how often your child should receive a comprehensive eye exam. 

You can also ask if your child is at risk of developing any eye conditions, and how you can watch their eye health. Find out if they should avoid certain activities, or have lifestyle changes to manage their condition. 

• Role-Play

When you’re at home, role-play an eye doctor’s appointment with them. Have them read different labels and signs from a distance.

Have them cover one eye and read labels, and then cover the other eye. After this, read it with both eyes. 

Signs Your Child Needs Glasses

Does your child complain about frequent headaches? How about eye pain?

This can be due to your child straining their eyes to be able to see. Their eyes strain in order to focus on different items which can lead to a headache. Look to see if you notice your child rubs their eyes during the day.

• Head Tilting

Your child might be tilting their head due to their one eye being stronger than the other. This is in order for them to view an object at a different angle. 

• Reading Comprehension Problems

Have your child read out loud and see how they do. If your child has eye problems, you might notice that they use their finger to keep their spot in a book. You might also notice that they lose their spot as they read. 

• Light Sensitivity 

Do you notice that your child experiences discomfort from areas that are too bright? This can be from turning on a light in the house, or from sunlight. 

• Avoid Puzzles

Does your child avoid puzzles or coloring activities? This might be due to a vision problem. 

• Covering Eyes

Do you notice that your child closes one eye while watching TV? This can be due to one eye being stronger than the other. Don’t let them do this because it can cause further eye problems. 

• Tearing Often

Does your child have excessive tearing? If their eyes dry out during the night, they can wind up having excessive tearing during the day.

If your child experiences any of these symptoms above, you’ll want to take them to their eye doctor’s office right away. Even if your child doesn’t experience these symptoms, you’ll want them to be checked by their eye doctor at least once a year. 

Getting Your Little One Ready for Their Kids’ Eye Doctor Appointment

Now that you’ve explored how to get your child ready for their kids’ eye doctor appointment, you should have a better idea of what to expect. Would you like to read more mom content? For more lifestyle tips when it comes to your child, check out our other articles today.