“When should I get my daughter's first eye checkup done?”
I have a daughter who is 3 years old. I think she spends the same amount of time with screens as any other normal 3 year old. She also looks at books when I read to her. When is a good age for me to get her eyes tested? Pretty much our whole family has needed glasses so far, so I wonder if she will too.
10 Answers
The time for an eye exam is when ever you notice a problem. It is also a good idea to have a child screened prior to starting school to ensure there is no need for glasses which would hinder their learning.
Most pediatricians are good at screening little kids for eye problems. However, if you have a family history of strabismus (crrossed eye or lazy eye) a child should be evaluated by an ophthalmologist by age 1. For all others age four is a good age to insure that a child sees well and doesn’t need glasses before entering pre-K
The best time for the first eye exam for kids is before the age of 2. If everything was good on the exam and she did not need any glasses, then she may need an exam every 2-3 years after.
She's old enough to have an ophthalmologist examine her. Most pediatricians do a cursory eye/vision exam but only ophthalmologists are equipped to perform a thorough eye exam on children (and adults). I recommend a thorough eye exam before the child starts preschool.
She should have her eyes examined even if there is no indication of an ocular disease
If there are no apparent problems age 21/2 to 3 would be appropriate. The child could cooperate for VA check with the "E" game (tumbling Es). This should be done by an M.D.
A pre-school checkup is always a good idea. If she is cooperative, you may take her anytime now.
There are no guidelines, so now is as good a time as any if your insurance will cover it. If you notice she is squinting or crossing her eyes, then those would be reasons to make an appointment.
Frank Cao
Frank Cao
Typically, if you don't see any issues, like eyes are crossed or turned out, etc., then the first eye exam is at age 4.
It's good to have an eye check before aged 5 years. Usually the earlier the better to detect and correct any refractive errors thereby preventing amblyopia
