When should your child get an eye exam?

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When should your child get an eye exam?

Eyecare is vital throughout a person’s life and should begin at an early age. As children grow, their eyes change and develop at a fast pace. By scheduling routine eye appointments, parents can stay ahead of any vision-related problems that could arise.

Naturally, you’ll want an excellent Odessa eye doctor to treat your children. With that in mind, Dr. Christopher Tumolo is an optometrist parents can turn to for the highest skill level and the most meticulous care.

Routine Eye Appointments for Young People

According to the American Optometric Association, children should have their first eye exam before their second birthday. During the first two years of life, the eyes develop especially quickly. This initial exam ensures that their eyes are maturing as they should. Then, when a child is between 3 and 5 years old, it’s time for another comprehensive eye exam. During this visit, an eye doctor can screen for long-term conditions.

A third eye exam just before the first grade is strongly advised as well. After that third appointment, children should go to the eye doctor once every year until they turn 18. Because the eyes continually change throughout childhood and adolescence, vision issues could arise at any point. Be aware that vision screenings at school are no substitute for comprehensive exams from an eye doctor. They’re not nearly thorough enough.

Vision Problems: Watching Out for Symptoms

In many cases, children don’t realize that they’re not seeing properly. Therefore, your kids may not mention this issue to you, however, you might notice that your children are exhibiting certain signs of impaired eyesight. For instance, do they frequently squint or rub their eyes? Do they tilt their heads when they’re focusing on something? Do they blink rapidly? Do they have headaches more often than they used to? Do their eyes feel strained or tired?

If your children have trouble making eye contact or following moving objects with their eyes, it could indicate a vision difficulty. You may observe that your children have trouble seeing things that you can see easily, whether they’re up close or off in the distance.

If your children display any of these symptoms, don’t wait for an annual eye appointment to come around. Instead, take them to an Odessa eye doctor right away.

What Happens at a Comprehensive Eye Exam?

Just before a comprehensive eye exam, an optometrist will review a child’s medical history and family medical history. Our eye doctor will inquire about past eye conditions, treatments, and surgeries. With all that information at hand, an optometrist will conduct a series of tests. Eye doctors look for nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. They evaluate how well children can see at close range and from a distance. They examine young patients’ peripheral vision, color perception, and depth perception. They determine if children’s eyes are working together as they ought to and if they’re focusing as they should.

The Right Eyecare for Your Child

Do you live in or near Odessa, Florida? Have you been searching the internet for the phrase “children eye doctor” to find the right optometrist? If so, know that Dr. Christopher Tumolo is an Odessa eye doctor who provides exceptional care to babies, children, and teenagers. He’s a licensed optometrist families have trusted for more than 20 years. Dr. Tumolo carefully explains eye conditions and treatment options to patients — and to the parents of his young patients. By doing so, he empowers people to make the right decisions, and he allows children to feel confident about their eyes and overall health. Dr. Tumolo’s exams are always thorough and personalized. He utilizes the most advanced medical techniques and equipment. Everyone who works at Beyond 2020 Vision Specialists, the practice Dr. Tumolo founded, shares this commitment to outstanding care. In fact, this group is renowned throughout Odessa for its digital eye exams and handcrafted frames. In short, children’s eye doctor appointments are essential to healthy growth. To reach their full potential in school, sports, and other areas of life, young people need the clearest eyesight possible. Dr. Christopher Tumolo and his team of experts are dedicated to protecting and enhancing vision, one child at a time.

When should your child get an eye exam?