Pediatric Eye Exams

How often should a child get an eye exam?

• 6 months old: Your child’s first eye exam to check for early signs of vision or eye health issues

• 3 years old: Second eye exam to monitor visual development and alignment

• Before kindergarten: Third exam to ensure readiness for school

• School-aged children (no vision correction needed): Exam every two years to track vision changes and support academic performance

• Children who wear glasses or contacts: Annual exams or as recommended to ensure an accurate prescription and optimal eye health

The eye exam methods our optometrists use depend on the age of the child. However, in all cases, the comprehensive eye exam for a child will include learning about their history, testing their vision, determining whether eyeglasses are needed, testing the alignment of their eyes, conducting an eye health evaluation, and if needed, prescribing eyeglasses.   

Why are eye exams important for children? 

Regular pediatric eye exams ensure that children’s eyes are healthy and they don’t have any vision problems that may affect learning. Eye exams for children also assess whether they have the visual skills needed for learning, including:   

• Excellent vision for near work and for distance.   
• Comfortable and correct “eye teaming,” which means the eyes work well together and can focus on the same place in space.   
• Excellent ability to switch the focus from an object up close to an object in the distance.   
• Accurate eye movement skills, such as the ability to read a line of text.   

Signs of vision problems in children

It is important for your child to see an eye doctor regularly for a pediatric eye exam, particularly if you suspect they may be struggling with vision problems. Here are some common signs of vision problems in children:

• Frequent blinking, squinting, or irregular eye movements 
• Frequently turning or tilting their head 
• Covering or closing one eye to see better 
• Poor hand-eye coordination 
• Rubbing their eyes frequently 
• Frequent headaches 
• Leaning in too close to see something or read 
• Learning difficulties  

School vision screenings vs. pediatric eye exams: What’s the difference?

A vision screening provided by a school is not the same as a comprehensive eye exam. Vision screenings do not diagnose eye or vision problems. They are designed to assess whether a child needs further testing.  School vision screenings also miss up to 75% of children with vision problems. 

What are some common vision problems in children?   

• Myopia: Also known as “nearsightedness,” myopia is when someone can see up-close objects clearly, but has problems seeing objects in the distance, like a blackboard.   
• Hyperopia: Also known as “farsightedness,” hyperopia means you can see distant objects clearly but not nearby objects.
• Astigmatism: Caused by an unevenly curved cornea, astigmatism is a vision condition that causes fuzzy, blurry vision at all distances.
• Amblyopia: Also known as “lazy eye,” amblyopia is best treated while the child is still young, when their visual system is in development.   
• Strabismus (otherwise known as “crossed eyes or misalignment of the eyes”).   
• Focusing problems, poor depth perception, and color blindness.   
• Eye health problems.   
• Convergence insufficiency (an inability to maintain eye alignment when looking at objects).   

Schedule a pediatric eye exam in Elkhorn

At Omaha Primary EyeCare, we understand how crucial pediatric eye exams are to meeting children’s vision and eye health needs as they grow, develop, and learn. We are proud participants in the InfantSEE and See to Learn programs.

To schedule an eye exam for your children, please call (402) 330-3000 or schedule an appointment online.