Pediatric Eye Exams

Birth to 24 Months of Age

Healthy eyes and good vision are essential for your baby’s development.

Babies are not born with all the visual abilities they need—they learn to see over time, just as they learn to walk and talk. Early vision development involves the ability to focus their eyes, move them accurately, and use them together as a team. They also need to learn how to interpret the visual information their eyes send to the brain in order to interact with the world around them.

From birth, your baby starts exploring the world through their eyes, helping to lay the foundation for future learning and development. Even before they can reach out or crawl, their eyes are constantly providing important stimulation.

Early detection of vision problems can help prevent developmental delays. It’s crucial to ensure that your baby has the opportunity to develop the visual skills they need. As a parent, you play an essential role in supporting their eye health and vision development.
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Your Baby’s First Eye Exam

While your baby may not show signs of eye or vision issues, we recommend scheduling their first eye exam at around 6 months of age. At this appointment, your optometrist will perform a thorough check of their vision, including tests for nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, and eye movement and alignment. Early detection of eye health issues is key—though rare, conditions like cataracts or eye health problems are easier to treat if caught early.

InfantSEE® Program

As part of the American Optometric Association’s (AOA) public health initiative, InfantSEE® offers a no-cost comprehensive eye assessment for infants aged 6 to 12 months. Dr. Davis is a participating doctor in this program, and we are proud to offer this service to your little one.

Call us today or visit the InfantSEE website to schedule your infant’s free eye assessment and give them the best start for healthy vision!

School-Aged Vision: 6 to 18 Years of Age

Good vision is crucial for academic and social success.

As children advance through school, the demands on their visual abilities increase. They need to read smaller text, spend more time on homework, and use technology more frequently. This makes proper vision care especially important as they develop.

Vision Skills for Success in School

Beyond simply seeing clearly, effective learning requires a variety of visual skills, such as the ability to track text, focus on tasks, and understand visual cues. Here’s a quick look at the essential skills your child needs to succeed:

• Visual Acuity: Clear vision at all distances is important for reading, using a computer, and seeing the board in class.
  
  

• Eye Focusing: The ability to maintain clear vision when shifting focus from far to near objects.
  
  

• Eye Tracking: The ability to smoothly follow text or objects without losing focus.
  
  

• Eye Teaming: Coordinating both eyes to judge distance, depth, and spatial relationships.
  
  

• Eye-Hand Coordination: Using visual information to guide hand movements during tasks like writing or playing sports.
  
  

• Visual Perception: Recognizing patterns and organizing images, such as reading comprehension and letter recognition.
  
  

If your child is experiencing any difficulties with these skills, it could affect their learning. Signs like frequent headaches, eye fatigue, or difficulty reading may indicate a vision-related issue.

A comprehensive eye exam is key to ensuring your child’s visual success this school year. It’s as important as any school supplies! Schedule an appointment with us today to ensure your child has the best tools for learning.