Back to school eye exams are as essential as back to school physicals for students of all ages. The American Optometric Association recommends that a child have his or her first eye exam between 6 months and one year. Then, children should have an eye exam at age three and then every year thereafter before school begins. Eye exams are exceptionally important as between 5-10% of all pre-schoolers and 25% of school aged children have some sort of vision problems. Early identification of these problems is essential because children are more responsive to treatment when diagnosed early.

When scheduling an eye exam for your child try to find a time period when your child is both alert and happy. Be certain to tell your eye doctor about any developmental issues your child may be experiencing. Other eye related issues should be discussed too This might include frequent rubbing of the eyes or problems maintaining consistent eye contact. A family history of eye problems should be discussed with the doctor as well.

Good vision screening at an early age can impact how well you child performs in school. A child who is unable to see the printed page or the blackboard can be frustrated easily which may translate into problems. Some common vision problems, like lazy eye, can be detected and corrected early while your child’s vision system is still developing. Back to school eye exams make sense and we suggest you schedule one for your child without delay if you haven’t already done so.