Routine and regular eye exams are important for everyone, but Dr. Friesen, optometrist at Waverley Eye Care, says not to overlook your children.
Here are a few reasons why eye exams for children are important.
1. Detection and treatment of amblyopia or lazyeye
Amblyopia or otherwise called lazy eye is a condition that can be present in up to 5% of children. It occurs when one eye does not have as clear of vision as the other. The connections from the eye and the brain on not completely formed when we are born and so if there is a blurred image on the retina these connections may not develop. Amblyopia can be treated if caught a young age. Eye exams before the age of 3 are ideal for detecting and treating amblyopia.
2. Detection and treatment of myopia
Myopia is a common reason why kids might need eye glasses. Myopia is when vision is not clear in the distance and you require eye glasses or contact lenses to see clearly. Myopia control or myopia management is when we use eye glasses, contact lenses or eye drops to slow down the progression of myopia. If your child has myopia you should look consider options to reduce the progression. If you would like to learn more about this you can learn more on Dr. Nelson’s Youtube channel here
3. Optimal learning
Clear vision is an important part of learning. If a child is not seeing clearly it can make learning harder. Children often do not know any different and so if they have blurred vision they may not complain or say they have any symptoms.
Eye See Eye Learn: Dr. Friesen is the coordinator for the Eye See Eye Learn program in Manitoba. This is a program of the Manitoba Association of Optometrists which recommends that all children have an eye exam at their optometrist’s clinic BEFORE entering kindergarten.
Recommended Frequency of Eye Exams: Children are recommended to have their first eye exam between 6-9 months and then again at least by the age of 3. Eye exams are then recommended every year until they turn 19 years old.
If you are looking for an optometrist in Winnipeg who specializes in pediatric and children’s eye exams be sure to contact Waverley Eye Care Centre and book an eye appointment with Dr. Selena Friesen.
