Your baby will have his first eye exam in the delivery room. His eyes will be examined for any signs of congenital eye problems. These are rare, but early diagnosis and treatment are important to your child’s development.
An antibiotic ointment or eye drops will be administered to prevent infection. Within a short period of time he will begin to focus on objects less than a foot away, such as mums face when nursing.
You should schedule your baby’s next eye exam when they are approximately six months of age. The optometrist will conduct a comprehensive eye exam and will test for visual acuity, excessive or unequal amounts of nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. He will evaluate eye alignment, and examine how the eye works together as a team. The general health of your baby’s eyes will be assessed as well. Problems are not common but it is vital to identify issues if there are any as early as possible. Vision problems, like amblyopia are easier to correct if they are detected early.
You should take your child for their next eye exam when they are between two and a half and three years of age. When they start school vision problems can cause learning difficulties so it is important to identify any issues as early as possible.
You should schedule regular eye exams for your child or teenager as eyesight can change until he is in his mid twenties.