Start Your Child’s Eyes on the Right Path

Your child’s eyes change as they grow up, and it’s just as vital for them to have regular eye exams as it is for you or your parents. Because these changes can happen at an early age, children can develop issues that might affect their performance in school or sports.

We want your child to enjoy and trust their vision, and the first step is a pediatric eye exam. Our optometrists can help support your child’s eyes, and you can feel confident knowing they have the care they need. Book your child’s next eye exam in Bonita, at Total Vision Bonita today!

Book Your Child's Exam

How Often Should Your Child Have an Eye Exam?

Every child is different, and some might need to visit our team more often to manage their eye health. However, we recommend bringing your child in for an eye exam in conjunction with their visual milestones.

After the first few exams, we can let you know if your child needs more frequent appointments. These visual milestones happen at:

1 to 2 Years Old

Your child should have their first eye exam after their first birthday. Their eyes are still developing at this point, so this exam is to help monitor their eye health and assess their visual skills like tracking and depth perception.

3 to 5 Years Old

Certain eye conditions like amblyopia (lazy eye) and strabismus (crossed eyes) can develop around 3 to 5 years. These conditions don’t go away with age and can permanently affect your child’s vision. An eye exam can help detect these problems and allow our team the opportunity to manage their effects as your child grows up.

6 to 18 Years Old

As your child enters school, we recommend annual eye exams. While conditions like amblyopia and strabismus can still develop around this age, other issues like myopia (nearsightedness) may also start progressing.

Your child depends on their sight for learning, reading, writing, and playing, so we want to ensure they have the vision they need to succeed at whatever they put their minds to.

Common Children’s Eye Problems

Myopia

Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a common issue that affects your child’s ability to see distant objects clearly. Myopia is characterized by the elongation of your child’s eye as they grow, which causes light to focus in front of your child’s retina instead of on it.

There are several different ways to manage myopia progression. Our team can help find the right solution for your child’s needs and lifestyle.

Amblyopia

Amblyopia, also known as lazy eye, is a condition that causes one of your child’s eyes to wander. Lazy eye is a common condition that can develop in children up to 7 years old, and it could last for the rest of their lives. Without treatment, amblyopia can lead to permanent vision problems that affect your child’s experience with school and sports.

Some treatments, like glasses or vision therapy, can help manage amblyopia.

Strabismus

Strabismus, or crossed eyes, occurs when your child’s eyes don’t align properly. It could happen if your child has a high refractive error or poor eye muscle control. Like amblyopia, the effects don’t go away with age and can lead to vision loss.

We can recommend treatments like prescription lenses or vision therapy to help manage strabismus.

Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye, is a common eye infection, especially among children. There are several causes of pink eye, many of which are highly contagious and known for spreading in daycare or school environments.

Despite the different versions, nearly all of them present similar symptoms, including:

Redness
Wateriness
Crusty mucus
Itchiness
Grittiness
Discomfort

If your child is experiencing symptoms like these, please keep them from spreading it to their friends, and call us as soon as possible. We can recommend a variety of treatments to help get their eyes feeling comfortable again.

If chemical exposure is causing these symptoms, flush your child’s eyes with cool, clean water for 15 minutes and visit your nearest emergency room.