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Children's Eye Care
Pediatric Eye Exams
It is very important to take your children for eye exams on a regular basis. Pediatric eye care at Dr. Marian Kim and Associates incorporates special techniques and technology to ensure accurate testing and help us accommodate young children.
According to experts, 80% of learning is visual, which means that if your child is having difficulty seeing clearly, his or her learning can be affected. This is especially true for infants who develop and learn about the world around them through their sense of sight. To ensure that your children have the visual resources they need to grow and develop normally, their eyes and vision should be checked by an eye doctor at certain stages of their development.
According to the Canadian Association of Optometrists (CAO), children should have their first eye exam at 6 – 9 months, another at 2 – 5 years, then annually between the ages of 6 – 19. If there are any signs of a vision problem or risk factors (such as developmental delays, premature birth, crossed or lazy eyes, family history) more frequent exams are recommended.
Eye Exams in Infants: Birth – 24 Months
A baby's visual system develops gradually over the first few months of life. They have to learn to focus and move their eyes, and use them together as a team. The brain also needs to learn how to process the visual information from the eyes. The foundation for motor development such as crawling, walking and hand-eye coordination also comes with the development of eyesight.
You can ensure that your baby is reaching milestones by keeping an eye on what is happening with your infant's development and by ensuring that you schedule a comprehensive infant eye examination at 6 months.
Eye See…Eye Learn
This program offers a free pair of eyeglasses to kindergarten-aged children who have had a comprehensive eye exam performed by an optometrist who has prescribed eyeglasses. No paperwork is required. The parent simply informs the optometrist that they want to participate in the 'Eye See Eye Learn' program.
Eye Check-Up in Preschool Children: 2-5
The toddler and preschool age is a period when children experience drastic growth in intellectual and motor skills. This is the age when parents should be on the lookout for signs of lazy eye (amblyopia) – when one eye doesn't see clearly, or crossed eyes (strabismus) – when one or both eyes turn inward or outward. The earlier these conditions are treated, the higher the success rate.
Dr. Marian Kim and Associates Eye Exams in School-Aged Kids: Ages 6-19
Undetected or uncorrected vision problems can cause children and teens to suffer academically, socially, athletically and personally. In addition to symptoms, signs of vision problems in older children include:
- Short attention span
- Headaches
- Frequent blinking
- Avoiding reading
- Tilting the head to one side
- Losing their place often while reading
- Double vision
- Poor reading comprehension
The Eye Exam
In addition to basic visual acuity, an eye exam may assess the following visual skills that are required for learning and mobility:
- Binocular vision: how the eyes work together as a team
- Focusing
- Peripheral Vision
- Colour Vision
- Hand-eye Coordination
- Tracking
Children's Eyeglasses, Contacts & Other Treatments
If the eye doctor determines that your child has a vision problem, they may discuss a number of therapeutic options such as eyeglasses or contact lenses, an eye patch, vision therapy or Ortho-k, depending on the condition and the doctor's specialty. Since some conditions are much easier to treat when they are caught early while the eyes are still developing, it is important to diagnose any eye and vision issues as early as possible.
Following the guidelines for children's eye exams and staying alert to any signs of vision problems can help your child to reach his or her potential. Call Dr. Marian Kim and Associates to set up your child's eye exam.
Dr. Marian Kim and Associates
- monday:
- 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
- tuesday:
- 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
- wednesday:
- 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
- thursday:
- 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
- friday:
- Closed
- saturday:
- 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
- sunday:
- Closed
Your Child's Vision Matters
Schedule a comprehensive pediatric eye exam with Dr. Marian Kim and Associates today and give your child the gift of clear, healthy vision.